Former MINT Student, Mohit Choube (Environment and Sustainability), shares his experience: 

Could you tell us a little bit about your background before enrolling at the Institute?

Prior to enrolling at the Geneva Graduate Institute, I had completed a four-year Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree from IIITDM Jabalpur in India. I had also worked in the domain of public policy and development with national/sub-national governments and NGOs, for more than three years and across multiple sectors (environment, health, education, etc.) in India.  

What made you choose the MINT programme at this specific school? Was there anything specific about our offer that appealed to you? 

I liked the interdisciplinary nature of this programme and the freedom to choose our own courses from different specialisations as well as from other disciplinary programmes at the Institute. I also liked the “Applied Research Project (ARP)” component, which gives students the opportunity to gain hands-on project experience with a major organisation. During the MINT programme, I did my ARP with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and also published my work in the form of a report. 

Per your background in Engineering, did you have any concerns about making this academic transition? With hindsight, do you find that your choice was justified?

I was concerned about how my undergraduate coursework would be perceived by the selection committee, because I was applying for a graduate degree in social sciences but I had done only a few university-level courses in humanities until then. At the same time, I was hopeful because I had relevant work experience to support my application, and also the fact that MINT is by design an interdisciplinary programme. During my first semester at the Institute, it took me some time to adjust to the style of academic writing adopted in social sciences. That said, whenever the professors instructed a MINT course, they understood very well that they are teaching students with diverse academic backgrounds, and they delivered their lectures and facilitated classroom discussions accordingly. I never felt like an outsider. So yes, overall, in the hindsight, my choice was justified and I am quite glad about it. 

How do you find your previous education in engineering contributed to your current academic experience? Are you able to draw on techniques or competencies you previously learned? Do you find it gives you any “superpowers”?

During my undergraduate years, I had learned design-thinking for engineering. Also, I was majoring in electronics and communications where we are always working on complex systems with interconnected components which have causal relations and feedback loops. So, for my masters dissertation for the MINT programme, I used systems-thinking and design-thinking to analyse all the different types of carbon pricing and market systems adopted by nations all over the world and arrived at key design considerations for building a global carbon pricing and market system. Also, engineers are quite comfortable with mathematics and quantitative analysis of numerical data. This enabled me to comfortably take up courses like climate economics, corporate finance and python during the MINT programme. 

What are some of the aspects of the programme that you particularly enjoy?

The professors are very competent, and most of them are not just academicians but are also involved in solving real-world problems with governments, international organisations, private sector and NGOs. The Teaching Assistants are very intelligent, kind, and humble! My experience with most of the courses was excellent. I learned a lot from my peers during classroom discussions as they shared their experiences and perspectives from different countries, cultures, academic disciplines, and professions. It was lovely. I also learned a lot during the projects I undertook in ARP, TradeLab and C4SI. Finally, Geneva as a city has a lot to offer in terms of professional exposure and opportunities, and the Geneva Graduate Institute has an outstanding reputation across international organisations – both within and outside Geneva.  

You have chosen a specialisation in Environment and Sustainability, was your choice clear to you from the start?

Yes, I always wanted to find and develop solutions for addressing the climate crisis. Since climate change is a global problem and requires international cooperation, I was looking for a graduate programme which focused on international affairs and also allowed me to specialise in environmental topics. MINT programme with specialisation in “Environment and Sustainability” was the perfect choice for me. 

What have you found particularly challenging throughout the programme and your time at the institute? How have you been overcoming this challenge?

I did not face any major challenges apart from the first semester when I was trying to understand and adopt the style of academic writing used in social sciences. Initially this affected my grades a bit, but my grades improved significantly in the remaining semesters. 

Do you find that your experience so far will support your plans and aspirations after you graduate?

Yes, definitely. My academic and professional experiences during the two years of MINT were exceptional and spot-on. I have learnt what I needed and wanted to, and even more. I now have a stellar CV after two years – with all the projects, courses, professional experiences and achievements.    

What advice, or words of wisdom, would you offer to other students like you, who are hesitating to make a transition into a social sciences graduate programme?

First of all, if you are pivoting from some other discipline and have received an admission offer for MINT programme at the Geneva Graduate Institute, just go for it, it is outstanding – honestly speaking, no exaggerations! I am very grateful and 200% satisfied that I did it. That said, before doing a masters, it would be great to first gain a few years of professional experience in the domain of international affairs, public policy or development by working with grassroots NGOs, think tanks, governments, international organisations, or consulting firms. To some extent, this will compensate for your lack of prior academic training in social sciences, but at the same time you will have some understanding of how the world actually works and this will enhance your understanding of the courses you will take during masters. If you want to build a career as a policy professional, this prior experience will also help you identify the most appropriate courses to take up during the MINT program, which will give you the knowledge and skill set relevant to your career plans after your masters.

Former MINT Student, Sébastien Zünd (Environment and Sustainability), shares his experience: 

Could you tell us a little bit about your background before enrolling at the Institute?

Before joining the Institute, I completed a BA in International Relations at the University of Geneva and then worked for two years, mainly for the Swiss government. Thanks to my professional experience pertaining to WTO negotiations and committee work and my undergraduate studies, I arrived with a good sense of what to expect from International Geneva. However, back then, I was still uncertain about my career plans. 

What made you choose the MINT programme at this specific school? Was there anything specific about our offer that appealed to you? 

The MINT programme was a great fit for me because it allowed me to build on background in IR, while gaining specialised knowledge in the area that I wanted to transition towards – namely, climate and energy policy. The fact that the degree was two years was also an important factor. What compelled me about this school was the small size and the corresponding tight-knit community. Finally, compared to other leading international institutions, the tuition fees were substantially lower.   

Per your background in International Relations and Trade Policy did you have any concerns about making this academic transition? With hindsight, do you find that your choice was justified?

No, I did not have any major concerns. The timing was good, with the pandemic behind us and some professional experience in the bag. Moreover, the MINT programme provided a lot of flexibility. So I was able to adjust my curriculum in accordance with my evolving interests. 

How do you find your previous education in International Relations and Trade Policy  contributed to your current academic experience? Are you able to draw on techniques or competencies you previously learned?

My interdisciplinary undergraduate studies proved to be a great foundation, allowing me to make the most of the wide range of classes offered. As part of my degree at the institute, I had to write several extensive research papers, and I was glad that I had prior experience with academic writing to rely on. 

What are some of the aspects of the programme that you particularly enjoy?

What I really enjoyed about the programme was the quality of professors. I had some genuinely insightful classes with eminent scholars such as Giacomo Luciani or Jorge E. Viñuales. Moreover, I cherished my master dissertation, which gave me an opportunity to delve into the distributive impacts of EU climate policy and hone my data analysis skills. Also, my supervisor, Alice Pirlot, was fantastic. But to be perfectly honest, the most enjoyable part is undoubtedly the time spent with like-minded people, preferably on one of the many panoramic alpine hikes nearby.  

You have chosen a specialisation in MINT Environment and Sustainability, was your choice clear to you from the start?

My MINT track was the Sustainability & Environment, but in practice my focus was on climate and energy policy, with an emphasis on quantitative research methods. I discovered my passion for energy issues after my enrolment. Hence, I much appreciated that the programme provided enough flexibility to accommodate my academic interests. 

What have you found particularly challenging throughout the programme and your time at the institute? How have you been overcoming this challenge?

I think the intensity of the programme much depends on your choices of classes and your personal commitment. I definitely did not make my life very easy. Particularly in the first semester, I ended up overwhelmed by the number of term papers due around Christmas. But ultimately, the many classes and research papers prepared me well for my master dissertation. My project was quite ambitious, and, to a large extent, overcoming the many challenges beforehand made accomplishing it possible.

Do you find that your experience so far will support your plans and aspirations after you graduate?

I think it is important for potential students to know that the realm of international affairs is very competitive, and while there are a lot of internship opportunities in Geneva, there are relatively few entry-level jobs. Personally, I can say that I learned a tremendous amount and also gathered a lot of practical skills (research methods, writing skills, data analysis & visualisation), and I have no doubts that my time at the Institute will be key to my future endeavours.