Course studied
UCL Global Humanitarian Studies BScSector
Humanitarian aid
Career path
Oliver is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Hong Kong. Prior to this, he gained practical experience in humanitarian work through an internship with the Red Cross Society of China in Zhuhai, where he conducted on-site assessments of vulnerable populations, including unattended elderly people and orphans.
His work involved evaluating housing safety, health risks and individuals’ ability to care for themselves, while navigating challenges such as limited funding, understaffed local councils and broad government policy frameworks.
RDR taught me to make every effort to understand how society works, rather than trying to force change upon its frameworks.
Life at UCL
Oliver particularly valued the anthropology pathway of the course, where discussions around culture, society and governance encouraged him to approach disaster and social challenges from a neutral and empathetic perspective.
He credits his lecturers for shaping his understanding of how social systems function across different cultures, histories and geographies. And for helping him see that humanitarian issues are rarely about simple rights and wrongs.
Start your own UCL RDR journey
Discover the Global Humanitarian Studies BSc — the course that developed Oliver’s skills in research and community-based disaster risk reduction.
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