Governance of Migration and Diversity - Public Administration

After my bachelor degree, I once again had to ask myself the question: what’s next? My bachelor studies were in International Management and Business. When I gaduated I felt the need to change my field of study. I wanted to study something that would have a social impact and with which I would be able to expand my horizon. Moreover, I wanted to help people in this troublesome world. I am a so-called “second generation migrant”, as I was born and raised in Milan (Italy) by Egyptian parents. Due to this background, I have always had a special connection to the phenomenon of migration. I felt a particular empathy towards migrants and I had a passion for helping them. Growing up, I would see the challenges my parents faced.

But before I would be able to do anything, I had to increase my academic and cultural knowledge about migration. Amongst the infinite possibilities that are available today, EUR offered me the best opportunity: a specific master programme that covers the vital topic of migration in today’s society. I had to seize the opportunity to follow this programme. So far, this master programme has exceeded my expectations. The professors who have taught the courses  possess an extremely high level of expertise. Critical thinking is one of the many things I have learned this year. I learned not to take things for granted, but to assess for instance a notion or a news article on a deeper level. The best example is the concept of integration. We hear this word continuously and therefore we should ask ourselves: what does it actually mean.

Lastly, this master  programme has stimulated me to build bridges rather than walls.

Interested in this Master of Science? Learn more about our Governance of Migration and Diversity programme.   

After completing my bachelor degree in Political Science from York University in Toronto, I was ready for a new challenge and decided to move abroad. This coincided with the influx of arrivals of asylum seekers in Europe in 2015/2016 and prompted me to gain a keen interest in migration. Eventually, this interest led me to the position of Migration Programme Assistant at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin where I learned a lot about the particular migration landscapes of Germany and Canada. However, I still wanted to gain a better understanding of what influences migration flows and how governments respond to migration and diversity.

This impulse, together with my fascination for multilingual diversity and multiculturalism based on my experience being raised as a francophone Canadian in an anglophone community, the Master programme Governance of Migration and Diversity seemed to be a perfect fit!

When friends and family ask me about my year, I always tell them I am super busy but I am really enjoying it. The GMD master programme is demanding but I continue to be very motivated. I have enjoyed learning from all of our engaging professors and gaining a deeper theoretical and multifaceted understanding of the issues within the field. Everyone is very passionate about migration and diversity, which creates a great dynamic in the classroom.

In the future I would like to play a role in developing critical policies and delivering excellent programmes which will generate a positive impact. I would suggest this programme to any motivated student with a passion for learning in an international context and a strong desire to affect change in the field of migration. I am sure they would find it as rewarding as I do!

After obtaining my bachelor degree in Political Science from the Cairo University, I have spent five years working in several development organisations in Egypt with a specific focus on human rights issues. I developed a specific interest for migration and therefore I chose the GMD programme. The GMD programme was particularly interesting for me as it is an intersectional programme. Studying at several institutions helped me to understand migration from multiple perspectives.

The Public Administration track was also valuable to me as it opened my eyes on how policies are designed, and on the various perspectives of policy making which was very new to me. Interesting as well was connecting policies and theories to reality and practice. I was particularly amazed by the discussions in the classes; especially since my fellow students have diverse backgrounds, which definitely enriched the discussions.

Generally, studying in the Netherlands was a great decisions, as it is a very open, and diverse country with high level of freedom. Rotterdam - where I'm currently living- in particular is a super diverse city which allowed me to be exposed to various experiences and cultures which have widened my perspective on the world tremendously.

I believe the GMD programme is very suitable for fresh grads who would like to have a career in the migration field. It is also interesting for professionals since it is relatively short programme, but at the same time very intense and enriching one. I am planning to go back to Egypt after I have finished my studies to find a job in the field of migration. Preferably in protection policies, in order to transfer my knowledge and help improve the situation of migrants and refugees in my home country. 

Interested in this Master of Science? Learn more about our Governance of Migration and Diversity programme.