Q&A with Daline
Daline Ly graduated with an Educational Planning, Economics and International Development MA (2024).
The learning journey, mentorship and friendship that I have received and gained at IOE are invaluable.
What was your route to UCL?
I was educated in Cambodia before moving to London to pursue my undergraduate degree in Digital Culture at King’s College London. I have always been interested in the field of international development but never manage to pursue it during my [undergraduate] studies.
I decided to dedicate my Master's degree to fully explore and understand this field on a deeper level, understanding the complexities of how different aspects (i.e. politics, economics, etc) intersect with one another.
Why choose UCL?
It stood out to me as the best university in the UK to pursue this degree, not only for its education quality, but also prestige. One of the biggest advantages were the opportunity to learn directly from professors who have direct experience working in this field.
What do you find interesting about your field of study? What inspires you?
The ability to reason why education is important using economic theories and principles to support my argument. Often, the question about rights to education are made on moral grounds which are subjective by nature and as a result quite challenging to make a strong case for it. Hence, it is very exciting and inspiring to see how economic principles and econometric techniques are being used to generate numeric evidence to better understand the root causes of existing educational problems and ways that these issues may be addressed.
What was the best thing about your degree course?
Every lecture and seminar is filled with rich and fruitful discussions.
The professors and the cohort. Every lecture and seminar is filled with rich and fruitful discussions. Each week we tackled different problems and together explore potential solutions to address these issues.
I am very fortunate to have such supportive professors, all of whom I have great admiration and respects for. Not only are they passionate about their work but also act as mentors as we navigate through this degree both academically and professionally.
We had the opportunity to network with professionals who work at International Organizations (i.e. OECD, UNESCO), sharing their own insights and experiences about working in this field, as well as job advice and opportunities for recent graduates should they wish to join.
Was there anything that you found particularly valuable?
Planning for Education Development is one of most the valuable learning experiences I have had during my studies. As someone who is new to the field of international development, I thoroughly enjoyed scenario-based learning, whether that is pitching for a project or role playing a negotiation talk, it gave me a glimpse into what to expect of me as I enter this field of work.
What are your career plans following your MA?
I intend to work in UK or Europe for a couple of years before heading back to Cambodia where I would like to continue my work, mainly focusing on exploring the potential impact of public-private partnerships and/or EdTech to address current educational challenges in Cambodia.
Tell us more about wider university life, and being in the capital city, London?
London is a very dynamic and vibrant city. It can be quite overwhelming at first, however, the charm comes forth once you have settled down, you will quickly find your place and your groups of people in this city. I always tell people that, “there’s always a place for everyone in London”.
Any final advice for other students?
There is no doubt that the course is very challenging and demanding at times. It requires immense self-discipline, commitment and sacrifices. However, because of the people that I am fortunate enough to have known through this degree, they have made my time at IOE [UCL's Faculty of Education and Society] so worthwhile and meaningful - one that I will always look back and cherish.
The learning journey, mentorship and friendship that I have received and gained at IOE are invaluable experience that I will carry with me as I begin my career in education and international development.