For Alba Medina Bermejo, everything came together in Leiden. Firstly, there was no International Studies in her native Spain. Secondly, she could focus on Africa and learn another language, as well as its history and culture. And thirdly, she loved its multi-disciplinary approach, which helps her in her current job: “It gives you a more holistic view of the current world issues and dynamics. You learn to see different sides to problems.”

An update from the Team Leader Administration of the BA International Studies, Ariënne de Bruijn 

BA International Studies Chair, Joost Augusteijn, shares a christmas and end of year message to all our students and staff.

International Studies is a young and innovative programme, which means special attention needs to be given to the question whether its structure and content allows its students to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge. After the first students graduated in 2015. The Programme Board therefore actively evaluated the programme.

Our International Studies colleague, Dr Andrew Gawthorpe, who last year has won a VIDI research grant, has been bestowed with another major honor.

Roos Imkamp is an alumna of the first International Studies cohort from 2015. She is now a Sustainability Medior Consultant and has been elected as one of the Sustainable Young 100 (Duurzame Jonge 100) of the Netherlands.

This year’s edition of PRINS, the International Studies’ consultancy course, proved to be an inspiring event for most of its participants. Students, coaches and representatives of organisations are looking back on this rollercoaster of a course and reflect on why the PRINS experience is so special.

This year the Student Representatives on the International Studies Programme Board, Jitske Veenhoven and Mimi Hu, would like to offer you the opportunity to voice your wishes, complaints and questions in person. Come to a walk in hour!

During the first semester first year students of International Studies are required to pick an area and a language to specialize in. After starting the programme with a broad range of introductory core courses, students will follow area courses and language training in the second semester and the subsequent two years.

The Programme Board of International Studies is considering offering an extracurricular course in statistics (extracurricular meaning that students cannot follow it as part of the regular programme, but only as an additional course). To make an informed decision, we would like to take inventory of the number of students that would be interested in such a course. Below you can indicate whether you would be interested in taking a statistics course.