Damilola Adepeju (Nigeria) is the Scholarship Winner for 2017/18.

Damilola Adepeju holds her bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, and is currently studying for a Master in International Relations/Political Science at the Graduate Institute. She got the 2017-2018 BeeOne Comunications Scholarship generously gifted by an alumnus.

Why did you choose to apply to the Graduate Institute?

My decision to apply for a Master in International Relations/Political Science at the Graduate Institute stems from my desire to get such a degree from an institution with great reputation and faculty members with expertise in international studies. The Graduate Institute’s history as one of the world’s most renowned institutions of international relations study was one strong motivating factor for my decision to apply to the Institute. In addition, I find the socio-cultural diversity of the Institute enthralling as well as the environment (International Geneva) in which the Institute is situated which is the hub of international governance.

How did this scholarship make a difference for you?

With the aim to study and remain focused in order to successfully complete my master’s degree, my selection by the Institute for the BeeOne Communications scholarship has made this goal even more realisable because without the scholarship, the level of ease and concentration that I currently enjoy on my academic and research endeavours would not have been possible.

What is the focus of your studies at the Institute; on which topic do you plan to write your master/PhD thesis?

As a student whose research interest lies in issues relating to migration, conflict and conflict resolution, my focus of study at the Institute has been around these areas, and my current master thesis research centres on remittance and development. Through this research, I aim to examine the link between remittances and development considering the different types of relationships between the remitter and the receiver and what these relationships mean for how remittances are sent and invested. 

What are your plans for your professional career after your studies?

As a student whose career goal is to become an academic in the field of political science, after my studies at the Graduate Institute, I aim to proceed to study for a PhD specifically focusing on conflict and conflict resolution. Coming from a country with a history of ethnic conflicts, I strongly believe that having a broad understanding of the root causes and propagation of conflicts in general would provide me with a lens through which insights can be drawn on how to address different conflict situations at different levels as well as in different contexts.