David van der Veen

I was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia and came to The Netherlands when I was eighteen to pursue further higher education. After having completed a Bachelor degree, I was looking for a Master programme that would help me understand the underlying problems of society within an international framework with the hopes of one day returning to Indonesia and contributing to the country’s development. More specifically my aim is to help further emancipate LGBTQ+ communities in Indonesia and around the world.

The Master of Sociology, Engaging Public Issues (EPI) was the best study choice I could have made. Currently I’m busy with my final thesis, but I’ve learned a lot from the study. EPI has given me the skills to help analyse not just singular issues, but how multiple issues connect to form larger problems in society. These problems range from human rights and poverty to climate change and racism, all contemporary challenges and issues today in need of urgent action recognition. Aside from skills learnt into analysing different specific connecting issues, EPI has provided the groundwork for me to go into the field of LGBT empowerment abroad with its international focus on issues.

Furthermore, the EPI track at Erasmus University Rotterdam comes to life due to the lively character of the city. There are always events, activities and other fun happenings taking place in Rotterdam which is a greatly enriches the experience of students. In addition to that The Netherlands is a great place to study because of its student friendly made environment. Biking being a common habit here is a cheap, easy, and an environmentally friendly way of making yourself around the city.

Studying EPI at Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Netherlands has certainly been memorable so far, given the content of the study itself as well as the rich environment that it surrounds itself in.