I am from GLODEP graduating class of 2024. Two months after graduation, I joined the World Bank Group as a consultant, where I leverage my expertise in economics and geospatial data analysis to inform lending and policy. My work focuses on just sustainable growth and on inclusive, climate-resilient infrastructure—grounded in hands-on operational experience in Fragile, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) contexts. I specialize in translating data-driven evidence into actionable investments and policies. I have contributed to lending operations, investment projects, and advisory services in Yemen, Malaysia, Thailand, and Egypt.    My two-year, rigorous academic journey in the GLODEP program—while navigating the systems, cultures, and societies of four countries—has profoundly shaped my professional life in international development. Exposure to diverse cultures alongside classmates from across the globe fostered the agility, curiosity, and adaptability needed to collaborate with global teams....

After graduating from GLODEP in 2023, I followed an academic path and I am currently a doctoral researcher at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam. My journey towards this position began already during the fourth semester of GLODEP, when I moved to Rotterdam for my thesis research and worked with the professor who is now the supervisor for my doctoral project. In addition to that, I am based in a management school, conducting research on social enterprises and cooperatives, and using historical methods. The comfort I have in embracing transdisciplinary methods and theories for my current work is a skill I learnt during GLODEP, and they shape and reinforce my work every day.    I chose to study GLODEP because the programme offered something unique: a mobility structure that allowed me to live and learn in different academic and cultural environments, and a curriculum that encouraged critical thinking about development policy and practice. This held true throughout...

I currently serve as a Junior Officer in the Office of Internal Audit and Investigations at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), where I contribute to the Investigations team. My primary responsibilities include examining and addressing allegations of misconduct, such as fraud, corruption, and sexual abuse, harassment, or exploitation.  Prior to joining the IFRC, I completed a one-year Fresh Graduate Programme at UNICEF, working as a Quality Assurance Assistant in the Service Quality Management department. This marked my first professional role following graduation from Olomouc.  My current position builds directly on the research experience from my final semester in Bogotá. The investigative methodologies—developed from an academic perspective—provided essential skills for a career in internal investigations. The curiosity and professionalism demanded by rigorous academic research are indispensable in my daily work. I first honed these qualities...

Hi, I’m Luis Pineda, GLODEP alumni (2019-2021) and I am currently serving as a Nature-based Solutions Associate Programme Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme, a position that builds directly on the skills and knowledge I gained during the GLODEP Master. Before joining the masters, I worked on environmental and development projects at the local level, and one of my main motivations for enrolling was to broaden by complementing my environmental and social expertise with economic knowledge and a global development perspective. This combination ultimately helped me transition from project-based roles into programme-oriented work within international organizations. The academic training, together with the experience of studying in a highly multicultural and multilingual environment, has been highly valuable in my professional career.  Studying and living in Olomouc, and in the Czech Republic in general, represented a dramatic and exciting change for me. Adapting to studying...

I currently work at the European Commission, in a unit responsible for anti-racism and non-discrimination at the European Union level. The GLODEP programme helped me build a strong European profile, particularly through studying and living in three different European countries. This experience was a real asset when applying for my current role. Interestingly, one of my superiors also studied at  Palacký University in Olomouc years ago.  Why did you decide to come to study IDS at Palacky University (Olomouc, Czech Republic)?  To be honest, I mainly wanted to travel. I discovered Erasmus Mundus quite last minute, and once I was selected for GLODEP, I was excited to explore a part of Europe I did not know at all.  What were your biggest learnings during the master’s course?  I gained strong theoretical foundations, especially in development studies, peace studies, and democracy studies. This knowledge is still invaluable today, as it taught me that arguments and interpretations depend...

What is your current position/job, and how did you use GLODEP master’s experience/its courses to acquire this position?  I currently serve as a Strategy, Planning & Management Office (SPMO) Analyst within the Financial Institutions Group of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where I support Advisory and Upstream Services across the Europe and Latin America & Caribbean regions. GLODEP directly supported my ability to obtain this position, as a master’s degree was a formal requirement. In addition, the program strengthened my analytical and strategic thinking skills, preparing me well for the expectations of an international development finance institution such as the IFC.  Why did you decide to come to study GLDOEP at Palacky University/Olomouc/Czech Republic?  Growing up in Mexico City provided me with a first-hand perspective on how inequality, governance challenges, and institutional weaknesses affect people’s daily lives. This experience deepened my interest...

What is your current position/job, and how did you use IDS master’s experience/its courses to acquire this position?  I’m currently a Senior Associate at IDinsight based in Nairobi. At IDinsight, I use data and evidence to help development leaders make decisions. My GLODEP experience provided a strong theoretical grounding in development economics, which helped me understand the broader context of the challenges we address in my work. The technical courses also strengthened my analytical skills and built on my prior statistics background.   Why did you decide to come to study IDS at Palacky University/Olomouc/Czech Republic?  I wanted a program that could bridge my background in statistics with the development sector, and GLODEP offered exactly that combination. It provided an opportunity to deepen my technical skills while gaining a richer understanding of global development issues.  How was it to study in Olomouc? What were the major challenges?  Studying in Olomouc was both...

What is your current position/job, and how did you use your IDS master’s experience and its courses to acquire this position?  I am currently a Junior Professional Associate at the Governance – Public Institutions Global Practice at the World Bank. I have to say that this master’s degree was a cornerstone for achieving this position. As with many professional journeys, achievements are incremental and cumulative, each step builds on the previous one.  Soon after graduating from the master’s program, I secured an internship at the World Bank. The program’s focus areas, the communication and language skills I gained, the knowledge on development-related topics, the technical terminology, software skills, and the multicultural experience all made me competitive and allowed me to obtain that internship. In the same way, it was my master’s background combined with my internship experience that led to a consultancy at the United Nations. Ultimately, the combination of all these experiences...

What is your current position/job, and how did you use IDS master’s experience/its courses to acquire this position?  I am currently a Data Scientist at JobPricing in Italy, where I develop data analytics pipelines, build dashboards, manage SQL databases, and conduct statistical modelling on labour and compensation datasets. My IDS master’s experience played a central role, strengthening analytical thinking, exposing me to multidisciplinary approaches, and providing hands-on training with international datasets.  How was it to study in Olomouc? What were the major challenges?  Studying in Olomouc was enriching. The city is peaceful and ideal for academic focus. Challenges included adapting to a new academic system, language barriers a significantly different society, challenges that strengthened my resilience and independence.  What were your biggest learnings during the master’s course?  Key learnings included integrating social, economic, and environmental perspectives,...

How did you use GLODEP to get where you are now? What is your current position? I would like to start by thanking the European Union through the Erasmus plus Programme for the opportunity to study a Global Development Policy (GLODEP) Masters Programme in International Development Studies. Prior to my Masters Programme, I was a Disaster Preparedness Officer which I still am, and was confined largely to routine office/ desk job and field work related to disasters. I have faced a challenge of limited promotion opportunities and ability to transfer within Government since the humanitarian office is only under one ministry. However, despite the limitations mentioned, I have been fortunate to chair meetings with more senior colleagues, participating in high level panel discussions among others involving senior officials and heads of UN institutions/ senior government officials and legislators. The most recent can be seen on the link below where I make reference to the humanitarian-development...