After completing my A-levels, I pursued a dual study program with Adidas, studying International Business at TH Nürnberg in Germany. Through rotations at the company’s headquarters and abroad, I discovered my interest in Corporate Social Responsibility. After earning my diploma, I joined Adidas full-time for three years, advancing to Manager Global Community & Social Impact, where I oversaw charitable giving initiatives across the company. To better understand the role of the public sector in addressing social challenges, I decided to pursue the Master’s in Social Policy and Social Innovation. To complement my private sector experience, I undertook a voluntary summer internship after M1 at a German Ministry for Labour, Health and Social Affairs, supporting the European Social Fund Programme Direction Team. In my final semester, after completing my Master’s thesis, I started an internship with the OECD Social Policy Division, where I am now working with the Population Ageing and Pensions team.

I chose the Social Policy and Social Innovation stream because I have always been interested in how cross-sectoral collaboration can address social challenges. In my Corporate Social Responsibility role, I enjoyed leading projects that use sport as a vehicle for positive change. This aligned closely with the stream’s focus on Social Innovation. At the same time, I wanted to deepen my understanding of the public sector’s role and leverage in tackling social issues, particularly in uncovering their root causes. The Public Policy Master stream Social Innovation and Social Policy, with its wide range of Social Policy electives, allowed me to explore diverse fields, ranging from Family Policy to Education, and ultimately discover a strong interest in labour market policy and how it intersects with other issues, such as inequality and migration.

What I found most enriching at the School of Public Affairs was the focus on producing policy recommendations for timely real-world issues, which we were always encouraged to ground in comparative and evidence-based analysis. This approach not only strengthened our ability to evaluate existing policies but also taught me to deliver outputs efficiently. This is a skill that developed over the course of the program and will be valuable in any policymaking context. I dedicated my final semester to writing a comparative Master’s thesis on platform work under the supervision of Prof. Bruno Palier. Diving into a topic of choice so intensely over the semester was enriching to develop analytical and research skills, valued not only by many employers but also opening the possibility of a future academic path.

My first advice to future students is to make the most of the unique mix of academics and practitioners that Sciences Po offers. I found it a privilege to learn from professionals actively working in international organizations such as OECD, who were not only inspiring but also open and supportive in guiding our career choices. Additionally, I would encourage everyone to fully embrace the opportunity to learn from your peers during group work. It is a unique experience to collaborate with people from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds, which is valuable for anyone interested in international policymaking. Finally, even when time feels scarce, participate in extracurricular activities — whether joining associations or attending guest lectures. These experiences will definitely be part of what you remember most from your time at Sciences Po.

I am currently excited to be continuing at the OECD Social Policy Division on a temporary contract, working on a population-ageing project for a member country in collaboration with the European Commission Reform and Investment Task Force. This role allows me to put learnings on evidence-based policymaking into practice. Together with my Master’s thesis supervisor, I am also working toward publishing my thesis' findings. I view this as a great opportunity,  keeping me close to academic work. Having experienced the private sector, the public sector, and now an international organization, my next challenge will be to determine which working environment suits me best in the long term. On a personal level, I am also looking to become more politically engaged, an urge that has grown throughout my Master’s as I reflect on the many pressing challenges we face.