My experience at the University of Edinburgh provided me with both conceptual frameworks and practical skills that I continue to draw upon in my current role. The programme at Edinburgh, which encouraged interdisciplinary inquiry and real-world engagement, greatly shaped how I approach complex policy challenges in a corporate setting.

Through classroom discussions and the process of writing my dissertation, I came to understand that development is not always inherently positive and that it must be approached with a people-centered perspective. This insight has shaped the way I approach my current work and interpret global issues.

My degree gave me a strong understanding of business principles allowing me to see the bigger picture within large organisations and better understand how different functions connect to create value. When this foundation is combined with practical, technical skills, it becomes a powerful competitive edge that truly sets me apart in the professional world.

What is unique about this programme is that it brings together people with legal backgrounds and those without. In my year, about half of us, including myself, were from different disciplines such as international relations, political science, etc. The cohort was very international, too.

On this programme we are really thinking about how education is shaped by society and politics, by culture, by climate crisis, by all kinds of factors that mean that education will look quite different in the future than it does now.

Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA) also has their own climate action network, named ECAN (ESALA Climate Action Now). I was lucky to be involved with the group, first as a volunteer, and in my final year as a co-convenor alongside tutors. The blended format of the ECAN working group encourages a shared platform for students to work with staff, reducing hierarchy in the work produced.