Justina Adlyte

What initially sparked your interest in the Development Administration Planning MSc programme? What was your prior experience with development, if any, and what did you hope to achieve by participating in the course?

I had a strong aspiration to focus on societal issues and contribute towards sustainable development in my professional career. I was looking for a Master’s course in a development or sustainability-related discipline and came across the Development Administration Planning MSc programme on the UCL website. I was attracted to Development Administration Planning MSc by the department’s practical approach and an opportunity to gain experience and apply my skills during fieldwork in a developing country.

My experience in development prior to the course was limited to voluntary engagements in related fields. For example, for a few years I was actively engaged with the World Forum for Ethics in Business, an NGO convening business, academia and politics leaders and advocating ethics and good governance in private and public enterprises. In addition, I learned about education, women’s empowerment and organic agriculture initiatives in India.

What was your favourite aspect or feature of the Development Administration Planning MSc course? What was your favourite module or subject?

Unsurprisingly, one of my favourite things was field trip. It brought to life topics and approaches studied throughout the course, provided a real insight into development in practice and further developed teamwork skills. I also enjoyed the fact that my course peers came from all around the world, so in addition to regular studies, you had opportunities to learn about different cultures from friends.

How has your career developed since completing the course? Where have you been working since graduation, and how did you get into that role? How has the course prepared you for your current career?

I am particularly interested in private sector’s role in sustainable development and as I was completing the course at UCL, I had an opportunity to do an internship in the Global Corporate Responsibility (CR) team at Deloitte. During the internship, my work focused on the Deloitte Humanitarian Innovation Program.

I was then offered a role within the CR team, which works on the global CR strategy, engages with CR leaders across the organization, and manages global initiatives. The experience gained at DAP provided me with good understanding of global challenges, which is useful in my role.

Do you have any words of advice for current or prospective students?

I encourage students to take initiative: be proactive in building your network, engage in relevant activities (conferences, workshops) and be open to interesting experiences (internships, volunteering). This might open the doors to some opportunities that you would otherwise not know about or have access to.