Can you tell us about your background and your motivations for pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree?
Hello! I'm Nicholas, a 26-year-old from Singapore. Prior to joining LSE, I was a public services consultant with Accenture. I obtained my bachelor's from Singapore Management University majoring in Politics, Law and Economics. Pursuing higher education in the public policy space was always a dream of mine, and LSE's MPA had the quantitative rigour and skills I thought vital to succeeding as a public policy professional.
What made you choose the LSE and Columbia SIPA double MPA degree?
LSE and Columbia are situated in London and New York City and at the intersection where partnerships are forged. These networks are crucial to informing future public policy, both domestic and international. The double MPA programme provides a global exposure to a latitude of policy ideas and students/professors hailing from diverse backgrounds, an experience unique only to global megacities like London and New York City. My former boss at Accenture was also a former graduate of the dual MPA programme and possibly the biggest advocate of the programme I personally knew.
What have been your key takeaways from your studies so far?
The MPA is rigorous, but ultimately allows for a degree of freedom not regularly found in a bachelor's. Professors and classmates alike are extremely open in listening to the individual experiences of students of different backgrounds. While some courses demand substantial qualitative work, topic choices are often solely decided by us (students). These represent structured opportunities to dive in-depth into topics of interest; I have written long essays and papers on Malaysia, Ohio and Japan in my short stint at LSE.
How have you made the most of being #partoflse?
One of the biggest highlights was having the opportunity to represent LSE at the annual Global Public Policy Network Conference in São Paulo, Brazil. My team put together a policy proposal to tackle loneliness and polarisation in Italy and were successfully shortlisted. We were sent to Brazil to compete against representatives from other esteemed public policy schools, including students from Columbia, National University of Singapore and Sciences Po.
I was also a contributing editor to the Public Sphere Journal, a graduate academic journal run by the School of Public Policy. We recently successfully published the 2023 edition of the journal.
Another highlight of my year was competing with the LSE Floorball team. We trained hard in 2022 and travelled to Oxford in February this year to compete against other university teams across the UK (we placed first with a perfect win record!)
What are your highlights from your time with your classmates?
I have been extremely fortunate to meet great classmates who have become even greater friends! I've been stranded at an airport in Aarhus, gone kayaking off the coast of Algarve and hiked up mountains in Scotland - all with amazing friends. The cohort is equally welcoming in London - we take turns to regularly host get-togethers at our places, sharing our food and culture.
What have been your favourite things about living in London and what is your advice to those who are moving to London for their studies?
London's a very diverse city with people from all over the globe, a fact I think many public policy students take for granted. In interacting with people from different countries and cities, I often find myself inspired by a policy idea or proposal implemented in another part of the world. No one country has a monopoly over the best policy ideas. If you're living in London, I highly encourage you to put yourself out there and meet as many people as possible!
What are you most looking forward to about starting your 2nd year at Columbia SIPA?
The 2nd year at SIPA is when we decide our programme specialisations and concentrations. This means lesser mandatory courses and more academic freedom to select courses I am interested in.
Can you share anything about your plans for your future career and life after graduation?
I hope to pursue a career in an international organisation working on policy related to Southeast Asia. This summer, I will be completing two internships with ASEAN and the UN. At ASEAN, I will be based in Jakarta working on the regional organisation’s Cybersecurity Skilling Programme and Digital Literacy Programme. Both programmes are targeted at providing increased educational opportunities for underserved communities in Southeast Asia. Beginning June this year, I will be working with the United Nation’s ESCAP Headquarters in Bangkok on the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific.
Who would you recommend the programme to?
The MPA programme is a well-rounded programme that equips students with the necessary technical skills to see policy through from design to implementation.
What advice would you give to people who are considering studying at the LSE SPP?
There are a number of excellent public policy schools around the world. Deciding on whether to enrol in the MPA programme with the SPP is subjective and down to personal preferences. Consider what LSE and London have to offer and figure out if it matches your expectations!
Do you have any practical advice for our current offer holders who will be joining us in September?
I lived at Lilian Knowles House, a graduate student accommodation LSE has partnered with. Living at Liverpool Street has checked all the boxes for me - easy access to the tube, close proximity to school and great food options in the vicinity. If you're rushing for a class and don't have time for a full meal, check out Brunel's or Dilieto's. You can never go wrong with family-run Italian sandwich shops.