After my degree in international relations and human rights law, I was looking for a master’s program to specialize in security issues and to further enhance my research skills. I opted for the IMARC program at Erasmus university, and I am so glad I did! This program was instrumental in expanding my criminological expertise, enhancing my qualitative research skills in policy-related areas (both on the national and European level), and – most importantly – in my growth as an individual. 

After spending 2 semesters at Erasmus University in a small and very close group of students, I was able to immerse myself in the practical field of criminology through an internship at the EU for my third semester. At the European Crime Prevention Network in Brussels, I evaluated the stance and attitudes of European policymakers towards AI-governance (think: predictive policing and fraud detection during the toeslagenaffaire) using qualitative methods. This internship provided me with the necessary research and network skills for my future career, but also taught me how to deal with political sensitivity in policy-related research. Doing an internship at the EU had always been a dream of mine – and IMARC moved me forward to fulfill this dream. It almost goes without saying that I enjoyed every minute of it! 

After dipping my toes in the world of Brussels, I was confident that I wanted to grow further in the path of EU policymaking. With this motivation, I directly started a traineeship at the European Agency for Fundamental Rights after graduating, the official and only human rights institution of the EU that publishes influential work on how to protect and promote fundamental rights across the EU. I work in the Justice & Security Section, which, for me, has proven to be the perfect blend between human rights and security-related questions situated in a dynamic political field. Going forward, I am looking forward to continue with intriguing academic research within difficult policy settings. It has shown to be not only intellectually stimulating, but as well personally valuable and impactful.