Testimonials Engineering & Policy Analysis

Gerard Nijhoving, the Netherlands
EPA attracted me as I was looking for a master in which I could get courses such as operations research, policy analyses, economics, politics and managerial skills, preferably with international opportunities.  EPA is the right fit for these whishes, especially for students with an engineering background like me. When I studied mechanical engineering I had the ambition to be part of the higher management of a manufacturing company. I believe EPA was the right follow up to my engineering bachelor to work towards this goal. As for the international ambitions, EPA was a very good choice. All classes are given in English by teachers from different countries. My classmates came from all the corners of the world and I got an opportunity to follow a double degree program in cooperation with the Harbin Institute of Technology in China. I seized that opportunity and really enjoyed it a lot. I lived and studied in Harbin, in the North East of China, for half a year. It is a great experience, which I think, not so many Dutch students get. Besides the great cultural adventure, I also received a Chinese masters degree from HIT.

Shalini Kurapati, India
A lot of people ridiculed me when I decided to come to the Netherlands to study Engineering and Policy Analysis (EPA) instead of choosing Georgia Tech in the States. That was in part because it was the Netherlands, and in part, because they didn’t understand about the curriculum. AT TU Delft, they teach us real-world issues, which are more difficult to explain. But we seem to be getting good at it: ask any one of us a question, and you will get an answer that begins with ‘It depends’. This past year has been an eventful one. I took a lot of courses, did some truly exhausting projects, was actively on a committee of the Curius student society, did an exchange programme at a Madrid university, travelled to some 8 countries and partied like crazy. Out of the 26 people who initially started in August, there were 17 countries represented – but many in my class were Chinese. Of course I tried to show off my Chinese. And for a long time I didn’t understand why my friend Sizhu insisted that I call her 'Josie' rather than Sizhu. She took almost a month to tell me that the way I was pronouncing her name meant 'dead pig' instead of 'a beautiful girl'!

Quynh Chi Trinh, Vietnam
“I am an Erasmus Mundus Student meaning I pursue my MSc in three universities: one year at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, a semester at Paris Sud in France and one at UP Comillas in Spain. Everything here at TU Delft is so advanced and the facilities are very helpful for students when studying. Every class has good audio-visual equipment and computers in the superb library have all the software you need. There are plenty of places to study and a wireless internet signal is available everywhere inside the buildings so you can connect wherever you are. My life is comfortable and happy. I enjoy TU Delft’s sports centre and cultural centre. They are great places to meet people. Basketball and football matches are now regular traditions of our Master class. After an unforgettable introduction week the members of our class became good friends. We feel we are not just a group studying the same programme but loyal colleagues, fifteen nationalities, who care for and respect others. My best memory? The atmosphere. Best lesson? How to organise myself.”

Policy analysis for large-scale energy systems

Donna Namujju, Uganda
Employer: MTN Uganda

Donna Namujju arrived in the Netherlands on a scholarship to study for an MSc degree EPA. Namujju born in Uganda, she is the second of eight children and worked now as a telecommunications engineer for MTN Uganda. The faculty TPM honored her for having graduated cum laude. "My work at MTN Uganda as a VAS platform engineer was so 'micro' in nature, focused on the technical details of a particular server, platform or service. But I wanted to effect change on a larger scale. The MSc EPA offered me the chance to increase my knowledge beyond the technical, to include complementary fields of policy analysis, economics, socio-technical systems modeling and management-fields especially critical in Uganda, because it's a developing country. Now I can apply myself to planning and solving problems on a more macro level; most specifically, policy analysis for large-scale energy systems. I found the lecturers' 'open door' policy quite useful. Rather than struggle with problems for weeks on end, ask for an appointment to get help and advice. I stress this because I have friends who struggled silently without asking for help, until the stress got too much that they stopped school altogether. Until you ask for help, people will tend not to volunteer it."

Perfect preparation

Sara Hajiamiri, Iran
Employer: RAND Corporation

After completing her EPA Master's degree, Sara moved to Santa Monica in southern California where she now works as a PhD candidate at RAND research bureau. Sara deliberately chose EPA because she wanted a course which combined 'hard' and 'soft' science and which had a multi-disciplinary structure. She opted for TU Delft because of its international student population. "I really loved the combination of applied and theoretical subjects I was taught during my degree course; such as mathematics, economics and decision-making and management subjects. I appreciated the emphasis placed on cultural differences and on the importance of working together to reach an agreement". The EPA programme was the perfect preparation for what Sara does now; she is working on a PhD in policy analysis. "I am a PhD assistant at RAND Graduate School and assistant policy analyst for RAND Corporation. RAND is an internationally renowned non-profit think-tank for policy research and analysis. As a PhD assistant I work on RAND projects to earn my fellowship. Depending on the type of project and the task which I apply for, I might be involved in collecting data, data analysis, literature research, developing models, writing or other tasks."

Global case studies

Monica Altamirano, Nicaragua
Employer: TU Delft

After her technical education in Nicaragua, Mónica started her first job with the Ministry of Education. This developed into an interest in both engineeringand social topics. "I wanted to continue my studies and was looking for a Master's degree programme which looks at broader social problems in combination with engineering. I found just two such programmes in the whole world which offer this, one of which was the EPA Master's degree programme. One of the great things about the EPA Master's degree was the international composition of my class; you work together with students from many different cultures."After graduating, Mónica stayed at the TP M faculty as a PhD candidate in the Energy and Industry department. She is researching how different countries organise the contracting out of construction and maintenance of roads. Little has been written on this subject, so Mónica is conducting various case studies around the world. "My EPA degree matches my current research well. I am studying both the engineering aspects of the road network and the economic and social aspects which make up the various national systems. After receiving my PhD I would like to work for the government in Nicaragua or the Netherlands and focus on formulating and implementing public policy."

Prakay Yoknamngoen, Thailand
The programme attracted me because it combines engineering disciplines with managerial courses. It gives you a broader perspective, completes your training as an engineer. I am now working on my Master's thesis, which focuses on sustainable energy. I am trying to answer the question how we can design an area that is self-supporting in its energy use. I am examining the energy demand in a specific area in the Netherlands and trying to match it with the possible supply from solar and wind energy. As for the future, I see myself working in my home country as an engineer on community development projects.

Naoual Babaghayou, Algeria 
When I first came to Delft, I did not have a clear picture of my future. I was trained as a chemical engineer and I just knew that engineering alone wasn't enough. I also knew I wanted to see something of the world. Now I know which line of work I am going to be involved in. As part of the curriculum I am doing an internship with Accenture, a large consultancy firm with offices all over the world. This is it! I like the work so much! It is almost like a regular job, as people take me very seriously. The fact that I am a junior does not matter so  much. I am working on a market simulation for several utility companies. In the meantime I am learning Dutch, which is very 'moeilijk'!

Weiyu Du, China
Delft University of Technology has a good reputation in China and this MSc programme is new and up-to-date. That's the reason why I came here. In the beginning, I had to adjust to the working methods. Here, the teacher gives you a lot of information and assignments and then you have to work it out yourself. You attend classes every now and then, but you really have to be prepared for them. In China, you are in a classroom all day and the teacher tells you in detail what to do. So I have learned a bit of time-management on the side! Now I'm doing fine. I like the 'Technology and Society' courses most of all because I'm a big fan of macro-economics, and part of this course is about economics.

Paul Pottuijt, the Netherlands
I was one of the first Dutch Bachelor students to join the international MSc programme. I chose it out of a conviction that it will give my degree some extra value. It is good for my English, too. I have a background in civil engineering, but I wanted to learn more about managerial skills. This course was a good opportunity. Although there are other management courses, the level of this one is pretty high. Being in the international programme is great fun! As students, we form a solid team and it is interesting to get to know so many people from different countries. We learn a lot from each other. Everybody is very motivated and works hard. The work load is manageable, as the structure of the programme has been well thought out.

Jason Lim, Indonesia
I have a background in civil engineering. I am really enjoying the courses here, especially the one called 'Decision-making in an international context'. The impact of different cultures on decision making is interesting and can be very important. We examine case studies that show, for example, that the western way of dealing with government agencies is very different from the way Asians handle them. And that European employees are judged on performance, whereas in Asia more emphasis is placed on an employee's loyalty to his or her company.

Tamrat Tewoldeberhan, Eritrea
The international classroom is fun. It's amazing how many nationalities are represented. The university arranged a lot of things for us, such as housing and visas. It even provided me with a free Internet connection in my room. But what really strikes me most is the professionalism of the teachers. They have high reputations; some of them teach part-time, devoting a portion of their time to working with companies outside the university. They are all friendly, speak English and take time for you. I think they can help me reach my goal, which is to work as an IT consultant in my home country.

Carlos Morales Barrientos, Mexico
I have a Bachelor's degree in mechanical and electrical engineering. I came to the Netherlands because I want to work as a manager with the Dutch multinational Philips. I was working with Philips in Mexico, and one of my seniors advised me to go to Delft. I am now doing an internship with the company, here in the Netherlands. It feels good to be in Delft. The town is beautiful and very safe. Riding a bicycle all the time is still such a funny idea. I am a member of a student rowing team, together with Dutch and Norwegian students. We get together regularly, and last month 45 of us went skiing in France. There are only two things I cannot get used to: the food is not spicy enough for me and the winter is too cold.