I pursued a master’s degree at GraSPP right after obtaining my bachelor’s degree in Human Sciences at Osaka University. After taking a wide range of courses in Social Sciences, I strongly wanted to pursue a degree in Public Policy and learn to develop practical solutions through policy making. I had always been interested in pursuing a career in international development from an educational perspective, and my experience at GraSPP certainly helped me to head towards that pathway.
During my first year at GraSPP, I was very fortunate to acquire skills in using evaluation tools for policy making, such as economics and statistics, and to learn East Asian political relations and policies, which were all entirely new areas of academia for me. Since I had mainly studied Sociology and Psychology in my bachelor’s degree, the balance of quantitative and qualitative courses was highly helpful in developing a fundamental basis in understanding policy making.
Attending the International Field Workshop (IFW) organized by Professor Nishizawa also allowed me to broaden my horizon in my career possibilities. The two-week workshop in the U.S. was a program that allowed me to network with professionals in international development, and every one of their personal life stories definitely motivated me to aspire for similar goals and achievements.
In addition to these academic courses, there were also plenty of practical opportunities to practice policy making. I had the privilege of attending the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference in Peru and the World Government Summit in the United Arab Emirates, which allowed me to realize the complexity of policy making and its relevance with international relations.
I was also involved in internship opportunities at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Technology in Japan (MEXT) and UNESCO Asia Pacific Regional Bureau of Education in Thailand.
Another highlight during my graduate school experience was participating in the dual degree program with the School of International and Public Administration (SIPA) at Columbia University, where I was devoted to fieldwork opportunities in examining Rwanda’s education policy. On top of the policy tools that I acquired in the classroom, these experiences on site allowed me to reexamine and reassure my career path in attaining practical experience in education cooperation.
After graduating from SIPA in 2018 and GraSPP in 2019, I started working for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) where I have had the opportunity to work for international development including education assistance with different countries from several regions, from Africa to Southeast Asia.
As part of the training program, I had the privilege of working in Ethiopia for three months. In Ethiopia, the energy sector is still vulnerable with frequent power shortages. Although the country relies on agriculture, the recent locust invasion poses a significant challenge that the country needs to address.
The country prioritizes education to cultivate future leaders and address challenges. Visiting schools, engaging with officials from the counterpart ministry, understanding the country’s policies, and developing essential projects through Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) have been highly valuable and significant experiences for me. They allowed me to apply what I have learned at GraSPP throughout my career.
Currently, I am based in Vientiane, Laos, where I have been working for education assistance in the country. JICA supports capacity building for teachers in mathematics education throughout the country and assists in restoring facilities at Teacher Training Colleges (TTC). Working in Laos has allowed me to understand project management from an angle closer to what is needed and wanted on the ground, and this has led me to consider ways to link them to project management and policy alignment.
Through the network I built at GraSPP, the Lao alumni have been an integral part of my life here. Attending GraSPP has guided me towards my career goal, and further cherishing lifelong friendships throughout the world.