"The Master’s in African Studies has been extremely valuable in building up knowledge and expertise on matters relating to African development, allowing me to apply this to both my current position as well as successfully securing my future project work. I was also able to build up a network of key stakeholders within the industry (through attending conferences and seminars, amongst others) which has been extremely useful."

"Upon graduating with my master’s, I was employed as a Research Assistant at the African Studies Centre. This was an excellent opportunity to expand on the knowledge I acquired during my Master’s and develop valuable research and proposal writing skills. Since then, I have been working at a social enterprise incubator in London, as a Business Development Manager for several east African ventures. My current responsibilities include fundraising, marketing and partnership building. In the future I hope to pursue either a research or practical career, depending on the opportunities which become available!"

Passion and dedication

"I chose this Master’s as I was determined to become a specialist in the field and carve out a niche for myself. The quality of teaching from the professors is excellent on account of their passion for and dedication to the world of African Studies. Furthermore, this Master’s programme was highly appealing to me as it allowed a unique opportunity to combine classroom learning with a research and work experience placement in Africa."

"After having finished a Master in International Relations at the University of Amsterdam, I felt that I wanted to specialise myself in African development policies. The one-year curriculum of the MA African Studies brought together all the aspects of a challenging programme that would enable me to specialise in this direction. The small and personal setup of the programme, the incredibly diverse expertise of the academic staff and the possibility of doing an internship in Africa convinced me to apply for the master."

Personal style of teaching

"While the program was very challenging, the wide range of topics and the personal style of teaching inspired and encouraged me to identify my own specialisation within African Studies: natural resource governance. This interest brought me to Ivory Coast, where I did an internship and researched the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector in the country."

Continue my research in Ivory Coast

"Looking back at my choice for the MA African Studies, I cannot think of a better decision, since the program has enabled me to start a PhD at the University of Surrey in October this year. Under the supervision of the global authority in artisanal and small-scale mining, I will continue my research in Ivory Coast, building on my already established network in the country."