Runsinarith PHIM DID Ph.D. Course
It was my privilege to be awarded the Japanese government “Monbugakusho” scholarship twice and thanks to that I was able to complete both my undergraduate and postgraduate study in Japan. Looking back, the three years of my academic journey towards my PhD at GSID have been sometimes tough but very rewarding in terms of helping me to become a professional. GSID is an incredible place where I and other students enjoyed opportunities to conduct research that we are excited about. My academic life was not always easy but I always received enlightenment and encouragement in such difficult times from academic advisors, professors and friends. GSID had a profound impact on me. I gained a certain sense of independence and thoroughly expanded my knowledge and perspective. GSID was incredibly valuable because it was where I could learn to see economic development from a different perspective and it is where I could discover a better understanding on contemporary social and economic structures as well as quantitative analytical tools, which became indispensable in my professional life. Just as importantly, I met so many brilliant mind professors and friends who challenged me to view the world through a different lens from a different perspective.
Jacob Ojeah DID Master Course
As an African from Nigeria, if I was asked to choose again an institute for graduate studies in Education and Human Resource Management, I would definitely chose GSID over and over simply because of the unique atmosphere of professionals with vast international backgrounds and continual field experiences in the area of uniting theories, principles and real life situation. My greatest impression of GSID is the level of opportunities it offers her students in the development of academic potentials, which is embedded in research, fueled by academic atmosphere of fellowship, partnership between faculty members and graduate students as we all journey towards the pursuit of academic excellence beyond the realms of geographical boundaries and limitations.?
One unique feature of GSID as an higher intellectual institution is that it engages in an unceasing process of inquiry where teachers does not exist solely for the sake the students; rather both teachers and students have their justification in the common pursuit of knowledge, therefore, teachers and students are simply co-researchers.
I earnestly wish GSID would extend its Academic Network to Sub-Saharan African as it has done with Asia. I am proud to be a graduate student of GSID, Nagoya University.
Median Mutiara DICOS Doctoral Course
The Graduate School of International Development (GSID) is a place where people from many countries explore, pursue knowledge and fill the classes with the vibrancy of critical thought. I was a research student in the Nagoya University Program for Academic Exchange (NUPACE) with a Japan Association for Student Service Organization (JASSO) scholarship when I joined classes and seminars in GSID for the first time. In GSID, and Nagoya University in general, I experienced a lot of excitement about ideas―the light bulb moment. Thus, when I had the chance to go back to Japan with a scholarship from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT), I did not hesitate to return.
Currently I am in the second year of the doctoral program. I find the program quite flexible yet thought-provoking. It encourages students to be independent researchers. It offers an unpretentious collegial atmosphere enhanced by a diverse range of research interests and projects. Managing our own research independently means being at the forefront of a new problems, participating painstakingly in the exploration, the excitement, and the pains of coining new knowledge. I myself enjoy this perfect combination of discussion, independent fieldwork, overseas dissemination and networking. In addition, I feel very fortunate to have a supportive supervisor. He allows me to broaden and refine my interests, grappling the other sides of the reality, unpopular yet pivotal, about children’s roles and influences in migration, which is at the same time challenging the arduous reality of adultcentrism in the field. With his continuous support, my research project received a prestigious research grant from Fuji Xerox Ltd. and fellowships from universities in Europe that enable me to participate in international courses and conferences. In short, conducting doctoral research in GSID is an enriching experience in the pursuit of intellectual capital advancement.
Christian OTCHIA DID Ph.D. Course
GSID is deeply committed to research and teaching and has proven to be a multidisciplinary environment. I joined it in 2009 after research experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, I have been carefully and intelligently taught and mentored by outstanding scholars. During six years of my life, I lived, learned, and grew in this marvelous environment.
I learned in an active and participatory seminar where contributions were always consistently articulated and insightful. During the discussions, seminar participants provided concrete recommendations and sometimes volunteered to provide technical support to juniors.
Being in GSID day in and day out really changed the course of my career. I became the best researcher I have ever been. I acquired a brilliant economic intuition, which allows me to choose an appropriate methodology to tackle effectively any research objective. I also attained maturity along with confidence in defending my opinion and following other’s arguments. Given my solid background in econometrics, I gained excellent field research experience through the overseas and domestic fieldwork program.
This particular experience has expanded my publication potential and strengthened my communication skills, especially my natural talent of getting along with people. GSID helped me take my research to the next level and brought me at the top of my game.
Miao Lu DID Ph.D. Course
As a student from China, I have been interested in development issues since my undergraduate degree. Therefore, I went on to pursue my master and doctoral studies in GSID to research about sustainable development issues in developing countries.
GSID provides us a good opportunity to study in an international environment with students from different countries and cultures. The professors in GSID are highly qualified. For me, the most impressive courses in GSID were Introduction to International Development and Japan’s Development Experience. These two courses are taught by the professors from all fields of study in GSID and we can learn about development issues through different fields such as economics, society and law. In addition, GSID also invites officers from international organizations such as the World Bank, UN and JICA to give lectures based on their working experiences on development issues. Moreover, GSID offers many internship opportunities in international organizations and exchange opportunities for students to study abroad.
If you are interested in development issues and like to study in an international environment, GSID is a good choice.
SARWAR Aiza DID Master Course
My motivation to research development issues comes from my own country, Pakistan. My country has experienced development issues throughout its history, and thus I decided to contribute to economic development projects. I have found GSID to be the best graduate school for this purpose by enhancing my skills and broadening my knowledge about how various countries are dealing with issues such as poverty, social justice, equity and sustainability.
It’s easy for me to look at these issues on multiple contextual levels, both rural and urban. At GSID, there is a core balance between practical and theoretical studies. Personally, I am not good at theoretical education, but I find practical training more interesting and engrossing. During my 1st year at GSID I participated in domestic field work and attended different workshops that led me to a deeper understanding of various concepts and helped to improve my ability of interacting with fellow students, which encouraged team work skills. Moreover, the excellent composition of the Master’s program, allows students to have internship opportunities at well-known international organizations.
GSID feels like a global village, where several countries are interconnected with each other under one roof, which provides a better understanding between cultures.
I enrolled at GSID as a self-financed student, which proved to be difficult, juggling my studies and part-time work. Luckily, I got a scholarship under the MEXT program of Leading Graduate Schools.
It is great privilege for me to describe my current experience as a part of GSID. To conclude, choosing GSID was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Olum M. Adhiambo DICOS Master Course
GSID is a well known graduate school in one of Japan’s top universities. As an institution, it focuses on current development issues, challenging students to actively consider ways of addressing these challenges.
GSID’s international environment not only provides a platform to share my experiences but also learn from the experiences of other countries. With students from various countries and various continents, GSID offers an opportunity to discuss development from a wide perspective, challenging individuals to change their worldview.
The lectures and structure of delivery are also enjoyable, with well-structured classes and good delivery. The faculty is composed of highly qualified lecturers who offer close supervision and guidance in different research fields and topics.
The social life in GSID and Nagoya University is also quite vibrant, with various activities organized throughout the year. The administrative staff is also quite supportive in all areas of day-to-day life.
If you are looking to challenge yourself both academically and personally, GSID is a good choice.
Thiraphon Chinda DICOS Master Course
My name is Thiraphon, but my friend called me Champ. I am now starting my second year as a Master’s student, majoring in Peacebuilding. My interests are democratization, gender equality and peace, some of which I had learn some during my bachelor degree. It’s my pleasure to thank to Asian Development Bank (ADB) for providing me a scholarship to study in GSID, which has given me a brand new world that I never had before.
GSID, for me, is the graduate school of diversity; we have many friends from different cultures and language backgrounds. We can learn and share our different opinions, discuss in class and respect each other. Moreover, I had interactions with excellent professors who broadened my horizon and knowledge to the better understanding of professional priorities in terms of academic and non-academic points of view. Besides, GSID offered me to participate in Overseas Fieldwork which provided me with an understanding of development cooperation and applying knowledge and practice to real work.
Lastly, I wish to take this opportunity to thank GSID for giving me a valuable experience, not only knowledge but also a chance to discover Japan and learn Japanese culture. This is the best thing I have ever had in my life.
Cho Mar Naing DICOS Master Course
GSID is the greatest memory in my life. Talking about my acquaintance with international development studies or joyful moments with friends from different cultures and backgrounds, GSID always stands as an unforgettable experience for me.
It was great good luck that I became a master’s student in GSID majoring international cooperation studies under the Asian Development Bank- Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) in 2013. During these two years in GSID, I would say I experienced the best moments in my life ever.
GSID pursues a multi-disciplinary approach to development studies. In the classrooms and seminars, the incredible expertise of each of the distinguished professors engages the students with a wide range of perceptions and ideas about development trends. The logically-structured courses in various programs can be said to be one of the most attractive and rewarding images of the school.
Shaping a multicultural society, students from different parts of the world spend their time together and share ideas and information within each other. In such a diverse and knowledgeable environment, I would like to say that GSID is one of the best places to study international development around the world.
Luis García DICOS Ph.D. Course
I feel great gratitude to GSID and to its pool of teachers. They were always available to discuss my doubts and to question my arguments in an environment of respect and horizontality. I consider GSID unique because I found that teachers and students here are one hundred percent committed to both their academic research and the people they deal with. Developing great friendships at GSID is just the natural consequence of interacting always with this type of people; people who really want to make a difference in this world (and who are making it already!). When looking back, I see that doctoral students must fulfill lots of difficult tasks in a very limited time frame. It is a process filled with uncertainties and challenges. Working in the environment that GSID creates makes it easier for everybody. Obtaining a Ph.D. in International Development has been a great step in my career; from March 2015 I will start teaching human rights in Peru at the National University of San Marcos.