Luis Pineda
(Salvador – GLODEP cohort 2019–2021)

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 in English, learning (at least) some basic Czech to navigate daily life and discovering the cultural particularities of the country made the experience intense and new for me. Balancing this adjustment phase with the demands of the master coursework was perhaps the most challenging part of the masters, but it was also one of the most rewarding ones. 

I can’t think of a single most important or ‘defining moment’ that made the two years abroad worthwhile, but rather a collection of experiences shared with my classmates and teachers. GLODEP’s multiculturalism and diversity, from the countries involved and courses, to its students and teachers themselves, created a unique environment where debates were rich, and every class brought new perspectives. The richness of the programme was evident, not only through readings and lectures, but also through these exchanges, debates and informal conversations with classmates, each bringing their own backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to the table. This international and constantly engaging environment is what made the two-year experience, even with a pandemic in the middle, truly meaningful and worthwhile.