Dear all, I am Vincent from France! I am now working as an investment consultant in private equity specialized in frontier markets. Previously, I graduated from Indiana University where I had the chance to experience the full extent of the Financial Crisis. By witnessing the facial expressions of my peers after the downfall Lehman Brothers, I understood how much of an impact the state of an economy can affect one’s life. Then, came the rescue of Merrill Lynch and the resuscitation of General Motors by the government. From that point on, the relationships between political and economic affairs became clear to me. The MGPE program allowed me to go a step further in learning the issues and reasons behind our complex system, on a global scale. More importantly, it allowed me to think about ways of taking advantage of bad policies implemented by governments.
Coming from a science background with a major in chemistry, politics and economics seemed rather far as an academic field. Nonetheless, I found the two-year programme absolutely enthralling and captivating and it enabled me to learn a lot about China and the current world affairs. It gave me also the theoretical underpinnings to analyse the ongoing political developments associated with the rise of China on the international stage. The inter-disciplinary course study is designed to provide a variety of topics (ranging from foreign policy to human rights) suited to equip the students with the necessary knowledge and reasoning skills to help them forge their own understanding of the world.
I believe the MGPE programme is a must for whoever wants to broaden his or her vision, be it for professional reasons or for personal interests. On a personal note, I found it highly rewarding to go back to school after having already graduated for 15 years. The year-end trip to Israel was eye-opening and the visits, including conferences with a foreign policy think tank, NGOs, the University of Haifa and with the ministry of foreign affairs, were a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.
