What our alumni have to say about the MSc Mega Infrastructure Planning Appraisal and Delivery.
Student testimonials
Ali Al-Derei, Civil Engineering Graduate and Transportation Planner from Abu Dhabi, 2011-2013 Programme "The MIPAD MSc programme highlights the need for change to the traditional way of mega infrastructure planning, appraisal and delivery. It highlights the need for to a broader and deeper understanding of the building blocks of mega infrastructure projects planning and appraisal. I found the programme to be invaluable to my career as it was intellectually stimulating, holistic, and covered a wide array of topics derived from varied and numerous global case studies delivered by international practitioners and researchers in the field. "The lessons learned were not only relevant to mega infrastructure planning and appraisal but also to broader contemporary issues and concerns of sustainability, climate change, governance and globalization. The course greatly helped me to develop my critical thinking and to gain invaluable experience of analytical and appraisal processes. It also installed a greater confidence to apply new skill sets in infrastructure development that I can use in my day to day work at the Urban Planning Commission. I highly recommend the MIPAD MSc programme to those with ambitions to become decision makers in mega infrastructure projects both in national and multinational arenas." | |
Hassan Adetunji, Political Science Graduate and Project Management Specialist from Nigeria, 2011-2012 Programme "Enrolling in the MIPAD MSc programme was one of the most rewarding decisions that I have made in my career as a professional. I graduated in Political studies from Lagos, Nigeria and in the last 8 years have worked as a project management and planning professional for a number of Fortune 100 companies. I was looking for a programme that would make me stand out in industry when I stumbled upon the MIPAD programme. "The course has greatly helped me to broaden my knowledge of how mega infrastructure projects and programmes are planned, appraised and delivered. It in particular provided me with an appreciation of the importance of multi-criteria analysis in the infrastructure planning and appraisal process. Critically, I have come to understand how mega infrastructure can bring positive change to the society and serve as strategic ‘agents of change’. The programme reinforced the importance of the power of context in the planning, appraisal and delivery process of mega infrastructure projects and programmes. The aspect of the MIPAD programme that I enjoyed most were the numerous professional contributions from both the private and public sector guest speakers who delivered first class lectures based on their extensive experiences in the fields of infrastructure development, programming, planning and governance. The course provided me with a solid platform to interact with the best practitioners in the field and on this basis learn much from their insights. "I found the academic staff to be most helpful and felt it to be an honour to be among the first cohort of students to take the course and have the opportunity to study in such a prestigious learning environment such as UCL’s Bartlett School Planning. The experience is something I will cherish in the years to come.” | |
Helen Chen, Urban Planning Graduate from the People’s Republic of China, 2011-2012 Programme “My experience of the MIPAD MSc programme at UCL was very enjoyable and unforgettable. As a graduate in urban planning, this programme was definitely a major stepping-stone for my future career in my entry to the professional field of private consulting. I found the programme to be well structured and provide a solid insight and understanding of the complex relationship between urbanized development and environmentally sustainable futures, with a specific focus on decision-making, risk management and practical planning and appraisal tools suited to 21st century large-scale infrastructure investment challenges. "The MSc programme provided excellent teaching with a good balance between theoretical and practical modules and assignments, which together covered a broad spectrum of mega infrastructure projects worldwide, especially iconic projects so important to national development. "The lectures and guest speakers were enthusiastic and knowledgeable and contributed a great leaning opportunity to study and share knowledge with highly motivated individuals from a host of different backgrounds and experiences from all around the world. I especially found the exposure to different skills sets for critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and time management to be particularly relevant and useful to the professional work place of professional practice.” | |
Marco Dean, Civil Engineering Graduate from Italy, 2011-2012 Programme “Having graduated with a BEng and MEng in Civil Engineering I was looking to enhance my comprehension of the planning and appraisal processes of infrastructure projects, especially large-scale projects. I am well satisfied with the knowledge that I have gained from the MIPAD MSc programme, in particular the interdisciplinarity of the programme. "I especially enjoyed the large number of contributors from different infrastructure sectors who reinforced my earlier understanding of some themes and made me aware of many new aspects which are typically overlooked in much current planning and appraisal practice of major infrastructure projects despite being extremely important for the successful development of such projects. I greatly benefited from the diverse backgrounds of the other students on the programme and their willingness to share their many different personal perspectives of the field which contributed to many insightful discussions during the lecture sessions. I also greatly appreciated the typically smaller class sizes of the MIPAD programme and the easy and frequent access this provided to the teaching staff which in turn permitted me to seek and freely obtain close supervision throughout the course. "The MSc programme has enabled me to think much more ‘outside of the box’ and has added to my skill set many new insights as well as innovative ideas and planning and appraisal tools about infrastructure development. As a consequence of this positive experience I have embarked upon PhD at the OMEGA Centre in the field of mega infrastructure development and greatly look forward to continue my studies in this field.” | |
Carlos Torrente, Civil Engineering Graduate and Architectural Design specialist from Columbia, 2012-2013 Programme "With a civil engineering degree and many years of experience in architectural design, I was looking to further develop my skills in the planning, appraisal and delivery of large infrastructure projects. The MIPAD MSc programme has provided me with insightful knowledge applicable throughout the project life cycle - from project conception to project delivery. I feel the programme has allowed me to think analytically and critically about many key issues necessary to help achieve and contribute to project ‘success’ in the decades to come. "Belonging to a student community of a top university such as UCL within the Bartlett School of Planning in particular, has given me the opportunity to learn and discuss with leading researchers and key expert practitioners in the field of mega infrastructure development. The MSc programme is complemented with a public seminar programme and access to the latest applied international research findings of the OMEGA Centre in mega project development that distinguishes the course from many others. "My learning experience has been greatly enhanced by interactions with my fellow students hailing from a diverse range of cultures and careers which has enriched the course and greatly enhanced the learning experience. The European Study Field Trip was a fantastic experience as it provided a marvelous opportunity to explore many live mega-infrastructure projects and learn from its planners, promoters sand critics numerous lessons; it allowed me to better appreciate the different planning, appraisal and delivery approaches to major infrastructure projects within numerous complex, innovative and wider contexts." | |
Ian Thorton, Quantity Surveying Graduate and Project Management Specialist from Ireland, 2012-2013 Programme "Undertaking such a degree in association with the OMEGA Centre - one of the leading centres on Mega infrastructure planning globally - means I have access to world-leading academics and practitioners in the field of strategic infrastructure planning, appraisal and delivery." |