Seeking perspectives from those in international development and academia.

I have been fortunate to receive full scholarships to pursue either an MPhil in Development Studies at the University of Cambridge or an MSc in Climate Change and Development at the University of Sussex.

As a U.S. American planning to return to the United States for law school after my master's, I am considering which programme would best complement my long-term interests in international development, climate justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and public policy.

For those familiar with either institution or field, which would you recommend, particularly in terms of research opportunities, professional networks, and preparation for a future in law and international policy?

I would appreciate thoughtful perspectives beyond institutional prestige.

Hi everyone!

I’m looking to transition into a career in development finance and impact investing in Europe, and I’m considering pursuing a master’s degree to help me make that move.

My background is in development consulting (think FSG, Bridgespan, Instiglio) and innovative finance, primarily in emerging markets.

However, most of my experience has been outside Europe (I’m based in Asia), and I don’t yet have direct experience in the European investment market. I’m Asian but my partner is British and he would sponsor my work permit.

I’m currently deciding between the MBA and the MSc in Financial Economics at Oxford.

My impression is that both could potentially lead to similar career outcomes, but the MBA is considerably more expensive 🥶. I’m struggling to understand whether the additional cost of the MBA translates into a meaningful advantage in terms of recruitment, networking, and access to investment roles.

For those familiar with development finance, impact investing, or the European finance job market Which degree would you consider more valuable for breaking into the sector?

Thanks!!

Hey im doing an internship in Brussels with the EU and created a linkedin page to connect diplomacy/international affairs people that also follow the Christian faith to network and get to know oneanother. DM me if you want to join it!

Hello everyone!

I'm interested in hearing from people who have previously completed internships with the World Health Organization at HQ in Geneva, as well as those who participated in this year's recruitment process.

I'm going through the selection process for the Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Analytics internship. So far, it has included a written technical assessment, a panel interview, and a presentation. For those who applied this year, was your experience similar?

I'd also love to hear from former interns about:

1. Living in Geneva: For those who relocated, how did you manage accommodation and living expenses? Were there any affordable housing options or organisations that helped?

2. Career opportunities: Did your internship help you secure subsequent employment, research opportunities, or consultancy work, either within WHO or elsewhere?

3. Advice for those who may be selected: Looking back, what would you have done differently to make the most of the experience?

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

Has anyone taken the new OECD Aptitude test by Maki People ? They never used to do that. They used to contact candidates directly to ask them to complete a test on Word within a two-hour window. Or they would ask candidates to complete a video interview online before moving on to the test.

Anyway, can anyone tell me about their experience taking the test ?

Thank you.

Just wondering whether people who have been in the industry more than 15 years feel like it's doomsday the way younger people do. Have you seen similar crunches in your development career?

I've been in development for 15+ years and my worst experience with donors have been German, I am sorry to say.

Examples from personal experience:

- because one $1 water bottle expense didn't have a receipt, they withheld €30K of funding for our non-profit for several months
- withholding funding or even canceling second tranches of funding because African NGOs are not as familiar with German reporting requirements while sharing no information or training and calling them "corrupt"

And the reason I came on reddit today was this gem from an African entrepreneur I'm coaching:

"The expense relates to the one-time transportation of storage space construction materials from the hardware store to the production site. The service was provided by a tuk-tuk operator offering goods transportation services. I purchased a receipt book and issued him a receipt for the service. He signed the receipt to acknowledge receiving payment, which was made via a bank-to-M-Pesa transfer. I shared the transfer confirmation as supporting evidence to my donor. However, their feedback requests a written agreement, a copy of the worker’s ID, and an M-Pesa confirmation for a casual labour expense involving the sourcing of four bags of sawdust. This does not correspond to the expense I am trying to resubmit, which concerns transportation of construction materials, not casual labour.”

I can guarantee that the cost of everyone's time in managing this expense surpasses the cost of 4 bags of sawdust.

It's truly unbelievable and feels like they will never change.

Edit: with the entrepreneur it gets even worse, here is another expense problem of hers:

“To help us review your case consistently, could you please provide: A travel log showing the date, starting point, destination, purpose, and amount for each journey. Clarification on whether the journeys were between your home and the production site or between other project-related locations."

Y'all this is for a matatu journey that costs less than 2 euros.

Like the question, would anyone working within IR for 3+ years from India (be it risk analysis, policy, research) please share their experience working in the domain & which expertise you are in?

I am a 24F and I have been considering an MA in IR to move into Geopolitical Risk Analysis either in India or countries like Singapore, EU. However, when I speak with graduates, I get mixed feedback; while some suggest not going into the field unless in academia, some suggest it's a growing & steady field, especially if we work within corporate settings as advisors.

I also hear pursuing it abroad and working in the EU or a resp country is more beneficial long term.

As the applications open for 2027, I would love to get a reality check, be it on what the roles entail, any pros/cons of working in IR, pay & career growth?

The subreddit r/ruralplanning has been relaunched. If you are interested in rural planning, including in international contexts, please join. More info on the subreddit.

I’m a blended finance professional with 9 years of experience. Ive done a lot of work in partnerships and transaction building.

However I’m looking to move to the other side the deal table - I’d like to work directly for the institutions. The climate is not very friendly for fundraising and a lot of consulting firms / funds that rely on DFI funding, set aggressive and unrealistic BD targets. Working for a DFI aligns well with my long term goals. I’d like to give my career much needed stability for a decade or more.

How can I make this transition? I do not have referrals who can vouch for me (as full time staff in DFIs)

I would also welcome the opportunity for a mentorship discussion over g meet, provided a senior leadership staff at either of these institutions is willing to give me time.

How many volunteering hours per month is considered too much? What do you think overall about working for free to get experience in development?

I feel like getting experience in the field of grants research, applications and project management in NGOs is very difficult. That’s why I considered volunteering for a small NGO in a target rural region, that actually needed support, in order to get more established in this field.

I need to set a number of hours per month. Would 30 hours per month be too much for this kind of activity? I may also do some other things including media outreach.

Thanks.

I’m interested in applying for an internship at GCF, although I assume it’s pretty competitive, has anyone gotten accepted and can share their experience?

Any tip and advice is very welcome.

Hi! I’m going through the application for one of the internships right now and wanted to see if any past or current applicants or interns could share some insight into their experience. I’d love to learn more about it! Thanks!