Sara Kosberg Summa Cum Laude in International Governance and Diplomacy

Three key abilities come to mind as having been particularly helpful during my time at PSIA. First, developing solid public speaking skills has been a real game changer. Whether I have held a presentation, delivered a speech during a policy simulation, or moderated a panel as President of the Junior Diplomat Initiative, it has been a great asset to be comfortable and confident speaking in front of an audience. This includes showing up well-prepared; rehearsing in advance to speak freely without a script and keeping my slides tidy with mostly visuals and minimal text. Taking pride in providing a strong oral delivery has helped me get my points across effectively and maintain the audience’s attention, which undoubtedly has had positive impact on my academic performance. 

Second, I believe attention to detail has been a valuable resource. Setting off time for the sometimes dreadful work of cleaning up spelling mistakes, polishing the structure, and nuancing arguments has contributed to elevating the substance and coherence of my assignments. In other words; small adjustments often make all the difference. And lastly, strong time management has been really helpful. Assignments are of course important, but PSIA has so much more to offer! Planning ahead and scheduling my tasks has allowed me to make time for student associations, conferences, and coffees with friends, thus breaking up the library sessions with other exciting input.  

Being a student at PSIA is in many ways quite similar to being a young professional. As my professors have mostly been practitioners, the assignments and projects I have worked on have often been very hands-on in nature, such as pitching policy strategies, preparing briefs, simulating international negotiations, or solving crisis management scenarios. Through exercises like these I have developed a diverse toolbox – including problem-solving, strategic thinking, critical analysis, and effective communication – which has already come to great use during my third-semester internship at Innovation Norway in Brussels. The strong connection between theory and practice, as well as the close proximity to working life, are therefore key assets I take with me from my PSIA experience as I enter into working life. 

My number one advice is to be a team player! Share your study guide with peers. Notify your friends about internship opportunities. Invite your colleague to join the group project. Celebrate the accomplishments of others. The greatest gift I take with me from these five years of studying at Sciences Po are the incredible friends I have made along the way. Their support, advice, and care have been indispensable, both academically and personally. Succeeding at PSIA is not synonymous with succeeding alone. So show up for your friends. They will be the highlight of your PSIA experience.