Haruki Ume joined IDS in September 2022 to study a Master’s in Development Studies. In this blog post, he shares reflections on student life at IDS from his first few months, and why he chose to study at IDS.
Studying in the IDS community
My most favourite part of student life at IDS is the atmosphere of respect that we all have for each other. When I experienced a lot of group work with my classmates in Autumn term, I gained a positive shock as I was able to share my field experiences without any reservation because my classmates kindly empathised with my words and encouraged me to discuss more deeply. This is because we all have qualified knowledge and experience before coming to IDS and are full of passion to learn from each other.
Although I sometimes felt English language barriers in the module, I didn’t feel left behind. Because my classmates and I spend time preparing and reviewing together, I feel able to share my thoughts from my own context in class, in seminar discussions, and even in a large event.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that IDS has its own building, and I can easily find my classmates in the studying space, IDS kitchen, or event hall every day. Especially, in the weekly IDS seminar, I can make additional connections with students in other courses, IDS Fellows, and invited guests. Most of us are international students and I was worried about being homesick, but I never feel I am alone because of this IDS environment.
Overall, the IDS experience gave me confidence in development studies through both input and output opportunities for/to respectful colleagues.
Socialising at IDS
Outside of the classroom, I experienced two meaningful and memorable experiences. The first one is the IDS walk. On the very first day of the semester, IDS Fellow Mick Moore organised a walking event to visit one of the most popular sightseeing spots named Seven Sisters. Comparing before and after this walk, I definitely feel our psychological distance with colleagues is different. Through spending one day together with beautiful views, I could explore personal relationships and feel IDS solidarity.
And I couldn`t miss mentioning the IDS pantomime, which is a UK cultural tradition during the Christmas season. By concentrating our talent for script writing, playing instruments, and acting, the students and staff at IDS had great success with packed audiences and their excited reactions. I have never heard of other MAs and graduate schools having this kind of event, so I am very appreciative to have a “springtime of life” moment in which I spent time together with other students and staff for practice and discuss every day after class with diverse team members.
My motivation for joining the IDS community
I came to IDS because it was highly recommended by several friends who are IDS alumni. They mentioned that both module content and discussions with colleagues supported them to consider next career and life goals. The experiences to participate Tokyo SI-UK career fair (Oct 2019), Development Week (Apr 2021), and counselling with a Sussex student ambassador (Nov 2021) also supported select schools and courses.
The reason I want to get an MA degree is to step up my position and career in the development sector. Specifically, I would like to take some UNDP posts in a field office as a project coordinator or evaluator. To realise this plan, I took related modules in IDS that covered academic/practical theories, top-down/bottom-up cases, bilateral/multilateral style, and methodological/teleological ideas.
For applicants who have a strong will in development studies, I feel IDS will never let you down with your expectation.