What were some of your main reasons for applying to the MINT?
I was impressed by the interdisciplinary approach of the MINT syllabus. I am passionate about human rights for refugees, and when I saw the options of studying my passion through diplomatic, legal, anthropological and many more lenses, I knew the MINT programme was the right choice for me.
I was also impressed by the Applied Research Project, which gave me the opportunity to be a student researcher for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. It gave me lots of practical insight into the humanitarian work from first-hand accounts of practitioners. I really appreciated this out-of-classroom learning experience that gave my team a high level of autonomy to research our own interested subjects.
Do you find that the courses offered in the programme support your interests and career ambitions?
Definitely. I deeply appreciated how different professors were able to weave their professional knowledge and experience into the syllabus. The courses here went beyond the content in my reading lists. The classroom discussions with experienced practitioners in the field truly equip and inspire me to pursue my career in the human rights field.
How did you benefit from Dr Richardson’s approach to teaching the course and what were some insights you gathered, given that she participated in the UN Human Rights Council as a representative of New Zealand?
She taught with her first-hand observation of human rights treaty negotiations in the Human Rights Council. It was all very interesting because her insights were unique and personal accounts of UN politics. She even took us on a field trip inside the Palais des Nations to observe a session and discuss the actors’ dynamics in the following class, which helps me step into the political actors’ shoes as they negotiate human rights.
Dr Richardson further assisted me in positioning myself as a human rights practitioner by organising a mock Human Rights Council session to negotiate the treaty regarding children’s rights to education. I played the Russian Federation, and through interacting with my colleagues and the professor, I really enjoyed a taste of being a make-believe diplomat in her class.
You recently attended the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform during the Geneva Peace Week. Could you tell us a little bit about this experience and some of your take-aways?
The Geneva Peace Week was an eye-opening opportunity to learn from the first-hand experience of practitioners. They shared about their work, the challenges they encountered, and practices that can be improved. I was most impressed by the workshop regarding International Humanitarian Law, where lawyers and negotiators were invited to discuss the reality of compliance with humanitarian law during armed conflicts. Through my other courses, I’ve already learnt the law was not perfect. In that workshop, I learnt that the parties in armed conflicts could be worse. Full compliance is not an expectation from the practitioners, and their job is to close the gap between non-compliance and the law as much as possible.
The workshop also offered a mock negotiation experience for me to step into the shoes of a humanitarian NGO during an armed conflict. It forced me out of the mindset of a student and tried to negotiate humanitarian resource delivery like a practitioner. I believe all students could benefit from more testimonies and mock exercises shared by practitioners to equip us for our future careers.