This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to study and learn at the finest institutions.
Mateja Horvat
Alumnus Governance of Migration and Diversity (Public Administration)
My interest in migration and diversity started early on. I was born in Belgrade, still in ex-Yugoslavia, and my parents moved to Slovenia while I was still a young child. We were migrants in another country, and quite early in my life I realized that diversity is something I wanted to know more about. My grandparents were also migrants, as they moved from different places within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and then the former socialist republic. One of my grandfathers was also a guest-worker in the Federal republic of Germany back in the days, so I found it fascinating how different experiences brought us all together and how this diversity can influence society. After a lot of work in the civil society sector working on issues of diversity, anti-discrimination, migrant’s and human rights and my bachelor’s in political science in Zagreb, the GMD master programme seemed exactly the type of studies that I wanted.
The master degree of Public Administration in Governance of Migration and Diversity introduced me to an array of perspectives of migration and diversity. I learned how governments, international institutions, and the society as a whole cope with these questions. I have gained valuable knowledge of processes involved in decision-making in complex societies and first-hand research and on-the-ground experience.
Currently, I work as a programme administrative specialist with the global philanthropy Open Society Foundations. I take care of my programme tasks to run smoothly and I get to work on important policy and programmatic issues, as part of the Justice Initiative’s division on equality and inclusion. The GMD programme has prepared me very well for the on-the-ground work. I can support my colleagues with research, administrative tasks and contribute as a team member, which was strongly supported in different team assignments during my time in Rotterdam, Leiden, The Hague and Delft.
Everyone who is interested in the complexity and functionality of modern societies, and is intrigued by what diversity and migration bring to the table should choose this master. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to study and learn at the finest institutions, under the supervision of the leaders in the fields in the Netherlands and beyond with great colleagues, professors and staff around this master. If had a chance to apply again, I would do it in a heartbeat.