One of the great strengths of International Studies Alumni is their ability find and foster connections, creating understanding between people all over the world. The online story-platform and community “Correspondents of the World”, is an interesting initiative by International Studies Alumni which embodies these qualities exactly. The platform aims to engage readers with themes like gender, migration, liberation, corona and the environment through the power of personal stories. You can get involved! We spoke to two founders of the Platform & International Studies Alumni, Joost Backer (25) and Mira Kinn (28), who were excited to tell us more.

In this article we are catching up with alumna Martina Carlucci. She graduated International Studies in 2017 and now works at the prestigious international affairs Think Tank Chatham House in London. How did she get there? And what did she wish she would have known while being a student of International Studies? We asked her to describe her journey so far.

The university’s largest consultancy programme, International Studies’ PRINS, has been connecting international employers with humanities students for six years. Founder Sarita Koendjbiharie: ‘Students of International Studies offer the holistic view that complex social issues need.’

On the 9th of February, students from many different programmes gathered in the Beehive to celebrate the coming new year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. The Faculty of Humanities, Study Advisers of Urban Studies and International Studies (BA), the Student Counsellor and the University China advisor and coordinator organized this event to commemorate the Chinese Lunar New Year and address the well-being of international students at Leiden University. This event was primarily intended to foster inclusivity and a sense of community among the international students while also celebrating Chinese culture.

After twenty weeks of hard work, third-year students of International Studies wrapped up the ‘Practising International Studies’ (PRINS) consultancy course pitching their major research findings and advice to organisational partners. We were invited to attend the presentations on behalf of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO).

Please meet Prof.dr. Maurits S. Berger, your new lecturer for the course "Introduction to International Studies". He is a lawyer and Arabist. He holds the Sultan of Oman chair of Islam and the West at Leiden University Centre for the Study of Religion (LUCSoR) and is a senior research associate with the Clingendael Institute for International Relations in The Hague. He has worked as a lawyer in Amsterdam, and as a researcher and journalist in Cairo and Damascus. It's an honour to have him as a lecturer for International Studies!

In the 21st century skills articles we highlight tutors’ international and intercultural experiences. Leiden University strives to enable students to develop so called "21st century skills" which are defined as "the ability to work in teams, international and intercultural skills, entrepreneurship, leadership qualities and digital competences" Most of the tutors have acquired these skills during their studies, fieldwork for their masters or PhD and are happy to share their impressions and experiences. For this volume we talked to Lisa Wolring, tutor at International Studies.

In the 21st century skills articles we highlight tutors’ international and intercultural experiences. Leiden University strives to enable students to develop so called 21st century skills" which are defined as "the ability to work in teams, international and intercultural skills, entrepreneurship, leadership qualities and digital competences". Most of the tutors have acquired these skills during their studies, fieldwork for their masters or PhD and are happy to share their impressions and experiences. For this volume we talked to Dennis Bus, tutor at International Studies about his experiences in Chile.

In the 21st century skills articles we highlight tutors’ international and intercultural experiences. Leiden University strives to enable students to develop so called "21st century skills" which are defined as "the ability to work in teams, international and intercultural skills, entrepreneurship, leadership qualities and digital competences" Most of the tutors have acquired these skills during their studies, fieldwork for their masters or PhD and are happy to share their impressions and experiences. For this volume we talked to Natalia Donner, tutor at International Studies.

Do you want to stay informed about news, developments, events and more related to International Studies? Subscribe to the International Studies newsletter.