Ilias, 2023 Summa Cum Laude in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action

In a few words, it is almost impossible to get bored studying at PSIA. The wide variety of classes provided in combination with the freedom to adjust your curriculum to your interests and to align it to your future goals created a powerful motivation for me to seriously care about the classes that I was taking. If I had to make a strategy out of this approach, I would recommend choosing courses that match your curiosity about the world. Your engagement will, therefore, be more genuine potentially leading to academic success.

Moreover, I think that participating in some of the countless associations, clinics and student projects that PSIA, and more broadly Sciences Po, has to offer broadened my horizons and helped me to understand the true meaning of what was being taught in class.

Starting my master's in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action, I had a completely different idea of what I wanted to pursue as a professional career which was largely focused on migration studies. However, getting inspired by classes on economic and social rights, climate change and sustainability, I made the informed decision to change my focus and work on business and human rights issues. Once again, apart from the relevant classes, my participation in activities and competitions organized by the Sciences Po European Chair for Sustainable Development and Climate Transition as well as my third semester mandatory internship at the Danish Institute for Human Rights equipped me with all the necessary skills that I will soon be using in my future positions.

One advice that I would give to current or future PSIA students is "don't be afraid of change". Enrolling in a master’s degree with so many options and variety of classes can seem chaotic in the beginning, and you might think that whatever choice you make (whether it has to do with your concentration, your classes or your internship) is irreversible. Nevertheless, if there is one thing that I would keep from PSIA is that it gives you the opportunity to do exactly the opposite: experiment and test yourself and the things that you think you liked (or didn't) and be open to surprises!