Ummu Ulfah Hanifah

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I studied International Relations in Diponegoro University in Indonesia as an undergraduate. During my study, I found myself interested in community development activities, especially the ones that are related to education. This passion encouraged my team and I to create a youth organisation (in year 2014) and an NGO (in 2017) for developing coastal area in Indonesia.

What made you want to apply to your course and to Leeds?

As an NGO activist, I need to study both theories and practices of development. Therefore, I chose the programme that does not only explore the theories in development, but also provides practical knowledge that could be implemented in development projects. Also, the Global Development Programme has a strong connection with local and international organisations and development think-thank institutions which can give me the network for my further study or project.

What is it that makes you passionate about your area of study?

MA Global Development and Education provides very interesting modules such as Education in Development; Gender, Globalisation and Development; Development Management Technique and Research Methodology for Development. They develop my ability to think critically from several different points of view. As the modules are theoretical and practical, they provide the tools to help me reflect and evaluate previous projects which I have done and create improvement for the future. Besides, the Global Development programme offer a pathway on having dissertation in collaboration with the international NGOs, named the LITE Project. This project will be helpful to enhance the students’ learning experiences.

What do you think of your course so far?

Overall, the MA in Global Development and Education is really interesting and engaging. Moreover, my tutors are both academics and professionals who actively engage with local and international development projects. They are the experts who are really passionate about the subjects and kindly supervise the students on improving the academic skills. Therefore, I am sure that I am learning from their best experiences.

What would you say about the learning facilities in the School and at the University in general?

I really enjoy learning at the University of Leeds. All the facilities are provided to help the students make the most of their time in Leeds. The POLIS cluster (study place) is one of my favorite spots to study. They have computers and printers and a student kitchen to make studying comfortable. The University provides excellent learning facilities, such as libraries which have free access to nearly 3 million academic resources, the language centre that allows language exchange for students (I personally try to exchange language with British students who want to learn Indonesian language), academic workshops and seminars and 1-to-1 support for writing evaluation.

How do you find the student support in the School?

The School is not only concerned about the academic skills for students, but also non-academic and well-being. The students are allocated personal tutor, the tutor whom we can share and consult about our academic and non-academic life with. The school also held events to support the students such as “Pizza and Opinion”.

What do you do when you are not studying?

The University facilitates around 300 clubs, societies and activities in the campus. If we want, we can be part of the societies. There are clubs based on hobbies, faiths, interests or nationalities. Otherwise, we can just join their events, ranging from learning salsa dance, to hiking, trips around cities in UK, and pet therapy.

Beside studying, I am part of Intercultural Ambassadors Programme, which is a programme for students from around the globe to promote diversity outside and inside the campus. My team consists of 5 students from different countries. After having training and consultation with our mentor, we implement an intercultural-education project for students in the school in Wakefield.

What do you think about Leeds as a city?
For me, Leeds is an all-in-one city. The accommodation, the university and the city centre are in walking distance. Whether by foot, riding bicycle or by bus, it is convenience to go everywhere around the city. However, I find Kirkgate Market, one of the largest indoor market in Europe, interesting. It provides almost all the daily needs with affordable price. Also, I like to travel to the places around the UK. I am lucky that Leeds is strategically located in around the centre of the UK. Therefore, it makes it easier for me to travel to the other cities only in a day, before coming back to Leeds at the evening. It really saves the money for hostel.

What would you say to anyone thinking of applying to your course?
No doubt, you will not regret to study MA Global Development in the University of Leeds! 

What do you plan to do once you’ve finished your course? What are you career aspirations?
After graduation, I am planning to have an internship in an international NGO, before coming back to continue my work in my country. I am now become a mentee in the University’s platform for Students-Alumni Career Mentorship. I believe this will be useful for my internship and placement application.