"Leiden is a very inspiring place to study due to its rich academic tradition. I remember when I picked my master’s degree. I decided to study MAIR to learn more about the important debates within the realm of International Political Economy and the historical development of various strands of capitalism. From mercantilism, to Keynes versus Hayek, and state versus free market capitalism. The classes challenge you in an exciting and engaging way! Moreover, debates are extra fun when your peers come from all over the world."

Career paths

"Currently, I'm furthering my practical knowledge as a policymaker, across the Dutch Ministries of Agriculture, Economic Affairs and Climate, and Foreign Affairs. Here, I'm bringing my academic and practical skills into play that I acquired during MAIR. In my current professional role, I'm responsible for affairs related to the IPCEI instrument (Important Project of Common European Interest). This state aid tool has high hopes to solve various forms of market and system failure across the European Union. The knowledge I gained from MAIR helps me to navigate the political-economic context I operate in and to see the urgency of implementing efficient policy instruments to solve contemporary societal problems.”

I have always been interested in how political decisions affect the economy. I personally love the humanities-based approach Leiden University takes when teaching GPE, and the variety of electives offered. The possibility to specialize in a region and/or a topic of your choice was perfect for me to combine my interests and career prospects. In my case, I was particularly interested in the connection between politics and illegality in Southeast Asia and Europe. Although it is a niche topic, professors at Leiden University have the expertise and I was able to grow and develop my knowledge in this area - eventually, I achieved my goal to land a job in the financial crime field.

Tip: I benefited a lot from the workshops provided by the Career Service Humanities. From CV/LinkedIn checks to interview workshops, I not only learnt about all the do's and don'ts of job hunting, but also the strengths and points of improvement about myself. 

My current position

I currently work as a Forensic and Financial Crime Consultant at Deloitte Nederland. I analyze financial crime risks, give advice and implement solutions in risks related to money-laundering, sanctions, terrorist financing and tax evasion. All these topics are closely related to GPE, as they are mostly the result of political decisions and political ideologies. My team consists of forensic accountants, lawyers, criminologists and data scientists. However, as a GPE graduate, I have the advantage of understanding these political dynamics very well and this helps my investigative work tremendously!

I am often approached by my clients with different problems related to financial crime. In order to solve these problems, I must apply a high level of analytical skill and possess the ability to select and process complex information. This is no different from how I proposed my thesis to my supervisor back at Leiden. First, I zoom out to have a helicopter view of the problem; second, I process all available data; third, I draw main points and come up with a plan of approach; lastly, I present my proposal to my managers and clients to receive feedback before any implementation.

My favorite memory in Leiden

The Humanities Buddy Programme is definitely my favorite memory of my time in Leiden, as it brought so much laughter and color to my life here. As an international student, this was the perfect way for me to get to know new friends and Leiden as a city. In the first semester, I took part in the programme as a participant. I was paired with a buddy who assisted me in integrating into Leiden and the University. During the second semester, I was chosen to be the Humanities Buddy Programme Coordinator. I organized plenty of events, such as a bike tour around local tulip fields, museum visits and social events, all for the participants. It was tremendous fun and I highly recommend this programme to everyone, especially international students!