Harshita Thakare (Pakistan – GLODEP Cohort 2018–2020)

After completing my master’s degree, I worked as a research scholar at the University of Pavia for one year. I then moved to the role of Research and Evaluation Officer at LAMA Impresa Sociale in Florence, Italy, where I contribute to EU-funded projects focusing on urban regeneration, social inclusion, and sustainability transitions. I have been working there for the last four years. In my role, I design Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) frameworks, develop Theory of Change models, and conduct social impact assessments for international research projects.

GLODEP helped me pursue a career in research by equipping me with analytical, research, evaluation, and policy analysis skills. My master’s thesis on Health economics particularly played an important role in building the methodological foundation that I applied in my current work. Coming from an urban planning background, I wanted to deepen my understanding of development challenges from a broader, macro-level perspective. This program was the perfect fit because it allowed me to explore topics like development economics, global inequalities, and quantitative research methods, which directly complemented my planning experience. 

Moreover, GLODEP attracted me because it offered the opportunity to study at multiple European universities, allowing me to experience different academic and cultural environments. The chance to collaborate with students from diverse countries was also a key factor that motivated me to join the program. GLODEP was one of the most enriching and life-changing experiences of my life. It exposed me to entirely new ways of thinking about global development. While moving to a new country, and the academic system initially pushed me out of my comfort zone, however, the welcoming atmosphere of the university made navigating these changes much easier. This experience helped me grow both personally and professionally.

I regularly apply the skills developed during the program, specifically in impact evaluation and critical analysis of development interventions. Beyond the coursework, the program helped me develop strong academic writing skills, which led to publishing research papers with my thesis supervisor and a professor from the program. These publications played an important role in guiding my career toward research:

Inequality of Opportunity in Accessing Maternal and Newborn Healthcare Services: Evidence from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey – published in Social Indicators Research (2022) | Link.

Conflict and Child Malnutrition: A Systematic Review of the Emerging Quantitative Literature – published in Current Nutrition Reports (2022) | Link