After completing a number of courses in GIR, Mia Wang Yuemeng discovered her interests in International Development, and became determined to acquire in-depth expertise in this field after graduation. At present, Mia is pursuing an MSc in International Development Studies at Utrecht University, in the Netherlands.

Mia in the Netherlands

“The experience in GIR (now GAD) provided me with a window to explore and understand the fascinating complexity of our world,” says Mia. Her interest in International Development has arisen gradually during undergraduate journey, when she took courses like Society, Environment and Development in Africa, Global Political Economy, Global South in Transition, and Global Environmental Governance. These courses introduced Mia to the current world’s most pressing challenges and developmental dilemmas concerning energy transition, economic growth and environmental sustainability, with particular regard to the Global South. In her final year at the college, Mia conducted a final year research project (FYP)- supervised by Dr. Edoardo Monaco, now Director of the Globalisation and Development (GAD) Programme - on the “Geopolitical Implication of Renewable Energy Transition for the Global South”, which further inspired her to continue her studies upon graduation, so as to one day contribute first-hand to positive socio-economic and environmental change worldwide.

Mia (left) with a friend at UIC

Recalling her old days in GIR, Mia says that no word could be more accurate to describe her experience than “fruitful”. Alongside numerous activities on campus, she also participated in a summer programme at the University of Vienna, in Austria, where she met numerous like-minded friends from across the globe. Additional ‘adventures’ included trips to Kenya and Brazil – destinations that further enlightened her understanding of issues of globalization and development. In Kenya, in particular, Mia worked for a Nairobi-based organisation named “Youth Alive”, which aimed to promote local children’s education and healthcare by launching programmes and promoting partnership with various local and international stakeholders.

Mia working for YouthAlive in Kenya

Mia is now planning to stay in Netherlands after completing her master’s degree and apply for jobs in the areas of sustainability transformation, climate governance and energy management, where she aims to help bridge the gap between policy and practice. She is very grateful for the diversity and relevance of topics covered during her undergraduate studies, and especially for the emphasis placed, in various courses, on development, which eventually “defined” her own future.

Mia with friends from the Utrecht University

Mia is delighted to hear about the GAD Programme’s new International Development concentration, and she gives her best wishes to all its prospective students: “Studying International Development at undergraduate level is a precious, rather unique opportunity – especially for Chinese students - to grasp early on some very important and highly interconnected world dynamics, such as renewable energy transition, climate change action, economic growth and trade integration. I wish nothing but the best for the GAD Programme and hope that more and more students will follow my footsteps and pursue a career in this timely and meaningful field”.

Reporter: Cinnamon Sun

Editors: Cinnamon Sun, Helen He