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With the goal of contributing to sustainable development, I decided to pursue a master’s degree at GraSPP after gaining a bachelor’s degree in economics to further my knowledge of sustainability-related policies. As expected and beyond, all of the professors at GraSPP offer high-quality and intensive courses with a great balance of theory and practice. As many of them have long years of experience working in government or international organizations, they bring practical experiences and perspectives to classes and create a learning environment where students are willing to participate and discuss. All the classes equipped me with the necessary skills and knowledge to become successful in a policy-related career.
In addition to regular classes, what I found to be one of the most invaluable experiences of my time in GraSPP was the chance to attend guest lectures where experts with extensive experiences working in government or international organizations were invited to give a talk in the class. These lectures granted me the invaluable opportunity to gain insights from professionals and engage in discussions that broaden my perspectives. Moreover, it was very inspirational to hear them talk about their career path, and it helped me shape the next step of my career journey.
Another advantage of studying at GraSPP is the opportunity to meet classmates with diverse backgrounds, many of whom already make impactful contributions to their society or global communities. Sometimes, I would meet people who seem very friendly and down-to-earth only to realize later that they hold significant positions within their organizations or countries. The discussion with them in class was truly eye-opening and prepared me well to be in a real working environment. Typically, it is difficult to meet these people, let alone discuss with them, but GraSPP made that happen, and I am thankful for my decision to pursue my degree here.
GraSPP also provided me with one of the most precious opportunities in my life: the opportunity to intern at a prestigious organization such as the Asia Development Bank Institute. As a person who aspires to contribute to sustainable development, the Asia Development Bank and related organizations are among the organizations I wanted to gain experience working with, and this internship became one of the most invaluable experiences I could have. During the two-month internship, I was able to improve my research and data analysis skills as well as gain further knowledge about Asia’s climate change policy and mitigation. This internship also allowed me to work alongside two talented policy researchers who kindly mentored me, leading to greater improvement beyond what I had anticipated I would be capable of.
Another thing I cannot forget to mention is the immense support I have received from the GraSPP office. Even though I lived in Tokyo during my undergraduate year, finding accommodations as a foreigner was still difficult. However, the GraSPP office helped me with the dormitory application process, so I did not have to go through what could have been the biggest stress for an international student, and I will forever be thankful for that. They also gave me tremendous support on every step of my internship application process as well as kindly responded to all of my inquiries. If it had not been for them, I would not have had such a smooth and wonderful two years, so I would like to give them a special thanks.
I could not say thank you enough for all the memorable experiences and inspirations I have gained during these two years. Even though I have to say goodbye soon, my journey of learning will continue with the strong base I have built at GraSPP.