Duccio Maria Tenti

When I received my offer from LSE, I was tremendously excited to study at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. My family always pushed me to think big and I had been thinking of applying to LSE already some years back when, from time to time, I had the chance to visit London and pass nearby the campus with my parents.

I have been always determined that my career would have been focused on EU affairs, public policy, and international relations. Therefore, studying at the European Institute of LSE was the most obvious choice when I was looking for a leading and recognized academic institution to start my journey in the field.

My time at the European Institute was extremely inspiring and full of landmarking encounters. On one hand, I have acquired sound knowledge on many subjects of study. On the other hand, it was the beginning of lasting friendships. Therefore I would never regret the choice I made when I decided to pack my stuff and move to London to spend many sleepless nights in the LSE’s library.

Now I live in Brussels, where I work as a policy officer at the European Commission. Specifically, I am in charge of climate change and sustainable energy in EU-Africa relations. My job is to work hand in hand with international organizations, the business sector, governments, and CSOs to support African countries in their green transition paths. It means having the chance to work on one of the most crucial challenges of our times, trying to build a long-standing partnership between the EU and Africa.

I want to conclude by telling a fun fact. My postgraduate dissertation at the European Institute was about EU climate diplomacy in Africa, which is exactly what I am doing here at the European Commission. I can say without any doubt that my postgraduate at LSE was crucial to achieving my goal. I hope that this story can be inspiring for many students willing to work hard and dream big.