GSD offer holder secures international scholarships
We are delighted to announce that Hala Alhaffir, a MASc in Global Sustainable Development offer holder, has been successful in securing two prestigious international scholarships to enable her to take up a place on our new programme. Hala will be jointly funded by Chevening and the Saïd Foundation. A Chevening Scholarship ‘enables outstanding emerging leaders from all over the world to pursue one-year master’s degrees in the UK’. The Saïd Foundation scholarships are ‘targeted towards outstanding individuals with leadership potential who will be drivers of positive change’.
We spoke to Hala to find out more about her background and her plans for the future.
"I’m Hala and I studied Environmental Science at Damascus University. I have a big passion for environmental issues and saving the environment. I like to volunteer, especially in the environmental field, and I have established […] a start-up called Green Treasure which aims to sort waste and recycling."
Why Global Sustainable Development?
"The environmental field and environmental studies in Syria and in the Arab region are a relatively new field of study. There are a limited number of environmental specialists or organisations who are working there. We have environmental laws, but they are not applicable and many international organisations […] are not active in Syria. Therefore, I want to be sure that it’s a priority and I would like to dedicate myself to working in this field. I want to be an environmental and sustainable development consultant and to provide consultancy services. My first step will be to build the capacity of people, especially environmental science graduates so they can work in this field, by providing them with workshops, and in partnerships with different organisations."
How do you think the MASc in Global Sustainable Development will support your career plans?
"It’s very important to consider the environment and sustainable development in my country, especially now that we are going into a reconstruction phase after the war. It’s essential to ensure that any project that aims to improve the economy or any other sector considers the environment and sustainable development. This Masters [in Global Sustainable Development], which is an interdisciplinary course with people from different backgrounds and countries, is an opportunity to know more about these issues and develop my skills for my future career."
What does global sustainable development mean to you?
"In general, it is how to live well and benefit whilst leaving other generations the chance to live well too. To achieve global sustainable development, it is very important to act locally and think globally at the same time, and to link ideas and share experiences between developed and developing countries. This will allow us to understand different points of views and to learn more from each other’s experiences in order to find suitable and creative solutions, and that everybody knows their role in this process."
We congratulate Hala on her achievement and look forward to hopefully welcoming her to Warwick this month!