Réka Eszter Oláh
(Hungary – GLODEP cohort 2022–2024)

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 during the fieldwork for my GLODEP Master’s thesis, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that enabled me to relocate temporarily to a new continent, conduct interviews with a local community, and engage deeply with regional variations of Spanish. 

GLODEP’s multidisciplinary approach stands out as one of its greatest strengths, and I’ve harnessed it daily in my career by weaving together data management, forensic psychology, interview techniques, and investigations. Equally transformative has been the program’s multicultural co-living, which immersed me in a vibrant international community—teaching me to thrive in diverse cultural environments not only among friends and peers, but professionally as well. This international dimension has also helped me build a powerful global network of talented professionals.