For International Women's Day, we've decided to look back at some of our favourite interviews with female business leaders and entrepreneurs from 2021. Read these interviews in full on our sister site TopMBA.com.

Beverly Dodard-Guillaume: Working for an NGO in Africa

As part of the MBA programme at ESMT Berlin, graduates can participate in the Responsible Leaders Fellowship which involves gaining real-world business experience in Asia or Africa to help a local company.

Beverly Dodard-Guillaume chose to work for the Huru Foundation in Kenya.

The goal of the foundation is to empower and educate the survivors of gender-based violence in Nairobi and the surrounding slums. She is supporting this new company by helping them to write a business plan, understand financial planning, develop programmes and find donors. 

Beverly said: “For my fellowship, I’m working with an NGO start-up, helping to build the NGO from the ground up. I was tasked with writing a business plan, financial plan and marketing plan.

“I was able to apply skills learned in the majority of my coursework. This project allowed me to apply the entrepreneurial view, while also learning more about non-profit organisations.”

Read Beverly's story here.

Wren Loucks: Founder and CEO of her own company

Before her MBA, Wren studied Fine Art & Art History at Queen’s University in Canada. After that she worked as Head of Design at Motionshop, an accessible design consultancy, and completed a post-graduate diploma in Architectural Interior Design at the Inchbald School of Design in London, UK.

However, she was always determined to start her own business, and knew that going to business school would be a fast-track path to achieving her goal.

She said: “I knew that, at some stage in my life, I wanted to start my own design agency, and enrolling in an MBA programme seemed to be an investment that allowed me to relatively quickly secure the high level of knowledge that would enable me to do so. I had accumulated a lot of experience in the interior design sector working at various different design firms, but wanted education and qualifications in the skills necessary to found and run my own business.”

Read Wren's story here.

Samantha Roberts: Empowering young women around the world

While at ESMT Berlin, Samantha Roberts chose to work at XOCO, which was founded in response to the magnifying impact COVID-19 is having on inequality, as the crisis is pushing many girls into sexual exploitation.  

XOCO’s goal is to empower adolescent girls in Latin America, Africa and Asia to escape sexual exploitation and to train them for the digital jobs of the future. XOCO is developing an innovative digital education model in partnership with local grassroots organisations and world-class companies, to equip at-risk girls with the skillset of the future.

Samantha chose XOCO as once she completed her MBA, she wanted to align herself with a start-up organisation that was innovative in its approach.

She said: “When I was learning about XOCO for the first time, I was impressed by their long-term vision for confronting systematic inequalities. COVID-19 has exacerbated the education and digital divide, magnified inequality like never before and put millions of girls at risk of sexual exploitation.”

Read Samantha's story here.

Eloise Skinner: Entrepreneur, author and therapist

Growing up on a council estate in East London, Eloise later studied law at Cambridge University and then went onto Oxford University Business School, completing her course in 2021. 

While training as a corporate lawyer at university, she says she always had lots of passions and so struggled with the idea of a single career path for life.  

Eloise said: “I’ve always been a big believer in the transformative power of education – and I don’t think this should stop at undergraduate level. 

“Postgraduate education has a hugely important role in shaping and accelerating personal and professional development. For me, learning at business school was a fantastic introduction to the world of entrepreneurship. It gave me a broad knowledge of the sector and set me up with the awareness and connections to hit the ground running.” 

Read Eloise's story here.

An education at a prestigious university is a long-term aspiration for many prospective students. Exposure to world-class teaching, a network of high-calibre students and innovative research opportunities all make for a truly enriching experience like no other. Another key advantage of attending prestigious universities is promising career prospects – including high salaries after graduation.  

But how much of this is true in reality? A recent report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) revealed that graduates in England with first class or upper second class (2.1) degrees had higher average salaries by the age of 30 than graduates with lower second class (2.2) degrees – regardless of institution.  

Ben Waltmann, Senior Research Economist at IFS and a co-author of the report said: “The findings imply degree classification may matter as much as university attended for later life earnings.”  

Figures from the report show that five years after graduation, median annual pre-tax earnings for both men and women who graduated with a 2.2 degree in 2013 were £3,800 lower than those who obtained a 2.1. Despite being a UK based study, prospective students from around the world are advised to take note as “many graduates who get a 2.2 from a highly selective university might have got a higher-paying job had they attended a slightly less selective university and got a 2.1.” 

What you study can also affect future earnings 

The report also highlights that future earnings for higher class degrees vary hugely by subject. Jack Britton, Associate Director at IFS and a co-author of the report said: “For many subjects, the difference between a first and a 2.1 is inconsequential for earnings. However, for others, such as economics, law, business, computing and pharmacology, it is substantial.” 

Higher earning potential can be linked to subjects that often have high labour market returns. According to Glassdoor, the highest paying majors include subjects such as computer science, with a median base salary of USD$70,000 five years after graduation. The top 10 is also dominated by engineering subjects, with electrical engineering and mechanical engineering taking second and third place respectively.  

For students considering lucrative careers, it’s worth bearing in mind that where you study, what you study and how well you perform can all play a part in determining future earnings.  

Top institutions have well-established alumni networks and career connections 

Despite the fact that future earnings are influenced by factors other than institution attended, many prestigious universities offer a wide range of recruitment opportunities that can open doors for students.  

This is perhaps one of the less tangible benefits of studying at a well-regarded, prestigious university, but is worth considering when comparing with a less selective, less well-known institution. 

Richard Carruthers, Deputy Director of Careers Service at Imperial College London said: “Like any top-ranked university we attract many large and small organisations (UK and international) who want to promote their vacancies on our jobs board (JobsLive) and who participate in a series of career events including fairs, panels, presentations and workshops etc.  

“We run a large number of career panels and work-based learning initiatives and we also have a separate enterprise team (The Enterprise Lab) who can help students with an entrepreneurial mindset. Alongside this, we also provide support for students with their applications through web resources and one-to-one appointments. 

What does the university offer in terms of alumni networks? “Our alumni community are very active and they often participate in careers events and share live vacancies with us and the wider college community. They’re also involved in our mentoring programme and other work-based learning experiences. We have a community platform (Plexus) which enables alumni to communicate and share opportunities.  

“I think we could say that we pride ourselves on our friendly and inclusive nature and that we actively treat each student as an individual. It’s important to note that we encourage students to reflect on their skills and values to define what career success means for them as an individual and that ‘high earning jobs’ may not be the definition of success for everyone.” 

Prestigious universities also offer students diverse, international communities 

Careers aside, established universities are known for attracting broad and diverse cohorts, which can be particularly beneficial for international students who sometimes make up a significant percentage of the student population.  

In these instances, choosing to study abroad at a university with a global reputation can mean a greater likelihood of studying alongside a significant number of students from the same part of the world as you. 

For example, the University of Edinburgh is the third most popular city in the UK among international students, with almost 11,000 registered to study there. 

Tongyang Xu, a postgraduate international student at the university studying a MSc in Drug Discovery and Translational Biology, said he initially felt pressure undertaking an intense master’s, especially as a Chinese student who had never been abroad for a long period of time.  

However, he said: “It’s been an unforgettable and thrilling experience. After finishing two semesters of study, I can tell my skills have improved, I’ve made lots of friends with many of my classmates and I’ve learnt a lot from my lecturers.”  

So how does the university ensure that international students are integrated into the student community? “We’ve had welcome weeks with plenty of rich content (many club activities such as a library treasure hunt), numerous activities through the student union and many helpful seminars.  

“The University of Edinburgh encourages and organises student ambassadors to share experiences with new international students, both online and offline. I am one of them myself. We are trained to lead new and prospective students around the campuses and explain things to them. It’s a very fun and interactive experience.  

“We’ve also been using Unibuddy (a platform which connects student ambassadors with prospective students from around the world, providing them with insights beyond formal information available on university websites) and open day talks to virtually accelerate international student integration.”  

Should university reputation matter? 

When choosing where to study, it can be easy to assume that the most prestigious universities are the ones which will best prepare you to be successful later in life.  

However, this data makes clear that your academic performance is arguably even more vital, especially when it comes to future earnings, so it’s important to prioritise a university which can provide an environment in which you’ll thrive. 

In some cases, that may well be an institution with a global reputation from the top of our university rankings – but don’t make your decision on reputation alone. 

Image credit: Tongyang Xu, University of Edinburgh
 

As protection of human rights continues to be a global issue concerning every area of society, many top universities are offering postgraduate degrees for students interested in making a difference. We spoke to New York University (NYU) to find out how their Concentration in International Law & Human Rights as part of the MS in Global Affairs programme prepares students for a career in human rights.

Professor Jennifer Trahan, Director of the Concentration in International Law & Human Rights said: “Our programme prides itself on offering rigorous academic content along with an applied focus that provides practical experience. For example, we offer courses called ’practicums’, where students take on skills-based work for a ’client’.  

“The client will assign a legal question to examine and the students, over the course of the semester, prepare both written work product (usually a report) plus orally present their answers to the client; this allows students to develop practical skills that they can highlight to employers. Examples of clients include the International Center for Transitional Justice and the Global Accountability Network.  

“We also run global field intensives that take students out of the classroom. I’ve run one that, after brief intensive studies in New York, goes from The Hague to Bosnia and Serbia, where we examine war crime prosecutions in the former Yugoslavia and how the countries have addressed accountability and transitional justice.  

“Students then write a paper on a topic that is in line with their particular focus. For example, students have written about selective memorialization in Bosnia and the narratives conveyed. Sometimes students have stayed on and undertaken internships in Sarajevo, for example, with organisations such as the Post-Conflict Research Center.

“We also offer a wide range of courses, including Women’s Human Rights: International Law and Policy, which explores a range of topics central to women’s human rights around the world from a legal and policy perspective. These topics include, for example, domestic violence, labour and sex trafficking, reproductive rights and surrogacy, female circumcision, women in war, among others. Through readings, lectures, discussion and debates, students engage with a variety of perspectives and learn to analyse and understand international treaties, cases, and other documents. 

“One of the courses I teach is called the US Use of Force and the ’Global War on Terror’ which examines the legitimacy of war in particular situations such as Iraq and Afghanistan. We look at the US Global War on Terror theory from a critical lens and discuss case studies, such as Guantanamo, in addition to discussing how other countries are misusing this framework.

“Students in this concentration primarily go into human rights work. Former students work at top human rights organisations as well as smaller, less well-known human rights organisations. I’ve also had students that work at the UN and its various agencies. We’ve also had students who are interested in counter-terrorism who now work at the FBI, the US State Department and other security agencies.” 

Students in the International Law & Human Rights concentration are also able to take a wide variety of courses in the other concentrations offered as part of the Global Affairs programme: Energy Policy, Global Economy, Global Gender Studies, International Development and Humanitarian Assistance, International Relations/Global Futures, Peacebuilding, Transnational Security, as well as in the separate master's degree programme in Global Security, Conflict, and Cyber Crime.

We spoke to INSEAD alumni Harry Siatounis to learn more about his experience of the Master's in Management programme and how INSEAD has supported Harry in his career journey so far.

What factors did you consider when choosing a university?

It was chiefly the international aspect of the programme. Although I had the chance to join more established ones, INSEAD stood out for the practical courses at the end of each period. To add to that, the INSEAD Master's in Management (MiM) programme is held in INSEAD campuses across the globe — travelling to the Middle East, Asia and the US had a value proposition that was second to none in my eyes.

Apart from the international aspect, it was also the brand name. INSEAD is a top business school, and the professors are leaders in their respective fields of research. The alumni also form a close-knit community after graduating.

I believe that the INSEAD MiM programme is a very rewarding experience and one which I will cherish for the rest of my life.

What were the academic highlights of your degree programme?

My most memorable class has been Process and Operations Management, where I learnt and applied complex frameworks on how to tackle modern business problems that companies face in their supply chains. I learned about bottlenecks in production and common strategies that companies use.

The case studies written by the INSEAD faculty were up-to-date, so it felt like solving cases in real-time. I was surprised by how the frameworks we were taught can impact a business’ success.

Can you give any examples of how your university assisted in your personal development?

I’m genuinely astonished by the culture at INSEAD with professors and their relationships with students. For instance, our first day in Singapore, a professor in our strategy class asked a classmate and me to give him feedback on our INSEAD MiM experience. He was truly interested in hearing our stories.

I could never imagine such an open discussion and it’s something that renders the INSEAD experience unique for me. The lecturers are always available to help me out with doubts or adjust my approach to focus on the objective. This kind of culture really enables me to pursue my interests with the support of a world-class faculty.

How did your university prepare you for your current career?

My goals were to perform research in financial evaluation and to better understand how companies work through the eyes of an investor. I have gained additional skills in financial modelling and expanded my toolset in the various methods. I have also become more confident on making assumptions in my models based on empirical data or market reports.

During our practicals, we have presented a strategic product repositioning the beverages industry, a leading French player, and built a financial model on valuing Tesla. We also were introduced to how to conduct business in the context of the Middle East and build our startup business model. After the Blue Ocean Strategy practical, I couldn’t wait to apply it in the real world!

What continued support has your university provided in your career since you graduated?

I used all the tips gathered from INSEAD's network and the career fairs and I can consult with my career coach at any time on my career journey. INSEAD is for life!

The Career Development Centre is actively engaged with the alumni community. By inviting them to share insights about their industries and advice on career paths, through videos or on-campus activities, you get to have unique opportunities to broaden your horizons. Career treks, study trips and the I-Link platform also matched us with alumni.

An employer engagement specialist was also available for individual sessions to discuss the specifics of my career goals (sector, geographical location).

Can you give us a brief overview of your career path since you graduated?

After INSEAD I moved to Dubai to work in strategy and finance for a fintech startup, focusing on market expansion strategy, financial planning and operations and investor relations.

I found this job through CareerGlobe, a platform run by INSEAD’s Career Development Centre (CDC). I was actually not targeting startups or VC funds, however the team and the discussions I had during my interviews convinced me to join this promising company.

The MiM definitely helped me by equipping me with the right knowledge both for the interviews and on-the-job tasks. Also, the school’s reputation is fundamental in my career’s success as it serves as a checkpoint with many investors.

Sponsored by Loughborough University

The Midlands has so much to offer students, steeped in history, art and culture – as well as boasting some stunning natural surroundings. Located in the centre of England, the Midlands are commonly divided into the East Midlands and the West Midlands.

Throughout the Midlands you can find some of the UK’s best universities, including – but not limited to – the University of Nottingham, the University of Warwick, Loughborough University and the University of Leicester. 

Read on to discover some of the many benefits the Midlands has to offer students.

Diverse cities with a strong history make the Midlands an excellent place to specialise

While the region’s largest city is Birmingham, there are plenty of other cities in the area, such as Leicester, Coventry, Derby, Nottingham, Northampton and Wolverhampton.

Each city in the Midlands has its own rich and interesting history; for example, Birmingham is known for its car industry, and Stratford-upon-Avon is the hometown of Shakespeare.

Leicester has a background in textiles, art and design – and it’s also a place of historical significance. The remains of Richard III, the last English king killed in battle, were discovered in a city centre car park in 2012.

Also located in Leicestershire, less than 20 minutes away from Leicester, is the town of Loughborough, home to Loughborough University, which has a reputation for both academic and research excellence.

However, what Loughborough University is perhaps most well-known for is its sporting achievements. It’s an internationally recognised centre of excellence for the study of sport, exercise and health through the natural and social sciences and has even helped train Olympic gold medalists.

Loughborough University is home to the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, a world-class hub applying academic and clinical expertise to policies and practices which aim to benefit the health and wellbeing of the nation.

Aside from sports, Loughborough University is also well regarded for its design and creative art programme, ranking fifth in the UK and 27^th globally for art and design in the most recent QS World University Rankings by Subject. The programme provides real-world context behind its teaching, enterprise and research with a purpose of creating physical and digital experiences and interactions which benefit people, society, culture, the economy, and the environment.

The Midlands have an abundance of natural beauty

Being a student in the Midlands will give you the best of both worlds. While you can enjoy a bustling city life in one of the area’s many cities, you will also have access to some of the UK’s most stunning countryside for walking, cycling and wildlife-watching.

The Midlands boasts seven Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), stunning landscapes which are deemed precious enough to be protected in the national interest.

Unsurprisingly then, several of the universities in the Midlands boast green campuses, with woodlands, gardens and open spaces. Loughborough University has a 523-acre campus, with beautiful gardens and plenty of places to eat, drink, socialise and relax. In 2018 the university’s campus was awarded the Green Flag status which recognises the nation’s best green spaces.

Neither northern nor southern

The north vs. south divide in England is something university students in England love debating for hours on end.

If you choose to study in the Midlands you get to enjoy the benefits of both, particularly since you can easily access cities in the rest of the UK. The Midlands is very well connected, and it’s extremely easy to get from one city to the other by bus or train.

If you’re interested in visiting London, you can easily do so from many of the cities’ train stations. If you choose to study at Loughborough University, for example, you can get to the heart of London in less than 90 minutes, directly to London King’s Cross St Pancras station. The train from Loughborough also goes direct to Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Sheffield, Leeds and York.

Plenty of job opportunities

Because of their diverse, successful history, the Midlands boasts industrial and commercial strength. Today the Midlands is an economic hub, providing plenty of job opportunities to graduates from the area’s universities.

Loughborough University’s Leicestershire campus is home to the Loughborough University Science & Enterprise Park (LUSEP), a world-class science park containing offices for over 90 organisations and more than 2,500 people. These companies range from start-ups to global organisations and hire many graduates from the surrounding universities.

Sponsored by TBS Education

The aerospace industry offers some of the most interesting and varied careers for graduates today. Working in the aerospace industry might see you designing and developing aircraft, satellites, spacecraft or missiles.

If a dynamic career in the aerospace industry sounds appealing, you might want to consider studying in Toulouse.

Located in the south-west of France, Toulouse is not only one of France’s best student cities, it also offers a wealth of job prospects for those looking to work in the aerospace and mobility industry. In fact, this city, the fourth largest in France, is often referred to as the European capital for aerospace.

Here are just four reasons why Toulouse is the perfect place to start your career in aerospace.

With more than 500 aerospace companies, Toulouse is the European capital city for aerospace

Toulouse is a dynamic business, cultural and educational centre, home to hundreds of international companies. Among these are a cluster of more than 500 aerospace engineering companies and research centres. Here you’ll find three of the biggest aircraft manufacturers: Airbus, ATR and Daher, as well as a huge, diverse supply chain. 

Toulouse also houses two of Europe’s largest satellite integrators: Airbus Defence & Space and Thales Alenia Space. In addition, the French Space Agency, the French Space Force & Air Command and NATO space excellence centre are located here. In fact, the city is home to a quarter of all space jobs in Europe with many companies working in the NewSpace sector.

This area of Toulouse is also known for its Aerospace Valley – a private-public incubator which looks towards high-tech business initiatives in the aerospace industry such as AI, self-driving vehicles, drones and Urban Air Mobility.

You’ll be following in the footsteps of current industry leaders

If you choose to study an aerospace-related degree in Toulouse, you will be following in the footsteps of successful leaders in the industry. 

TBS Education offers the MSc Aerospace Management and has more than two decades of experience training aerospace students and preparing them for managerial positions in aeronautics, space and airline industries.

For students looking to specialise in space, TBS Education is adding a new space track to the MSc Aerospace Management in the frame of Universeh (European Space University for Earth and Humanity). This is a unique opportunity to learn how to work in the space industry at both an international and multidisciplinary level.

Alumni of the MSc Aerospace Management at TBS Education are currently working everywhere in the world, including France, with some of the best - and most profitable – businesses and promising start-ups.

Toulouse’s universities have decades of experience teaching students about aerospace

If you’re looking to learn about aerospace from the world’s experts, there’s nowhere better to study than Toulouse. 

As a founding member of Aerospace Valley, TBS Education is fully immersed in the aerospace and mobility ecosystem. Over the past 20 years, TBS Education increased the number of dedicated training courses it offers and helps students build the skills they’ll need to thrive in the industry. The school has opened its own TBS Aerospace Centre of Excellence in 2019. 

In the MSc Aerospace Management at TBS Education, you’ll learn about management and business in the full value chain of aeronautics and space, from design to aircraft and space systems delivery, including services and operations.

The master’s has received the CGE quality award, a national accreditation for the top business schools in France – a symbol of the programme’s high quality of teaching. The CGE label also gives international students the opportunity to stay on and work in France after graduating.

You’ll contribute to the new thrilling challenges of aerospace with hands-on learning

Aerospace is continuously evolving and changing, so the way it is taught must change with it. To be successful in the industry, graduates will need to develop the problem-solving and critical thinking skills needed to approach future challenges in a sustainable, energy-efficient way. 

TBS Education is constantly looking for ways to review and improve its teaching to prepare students for the future of aerospace. 

The university’s MSc Aerospace Management, for example, invites aerospace senior professionals to share their expertise and encourage students involved in hands-on activities, notably through real consulting missions for aerospace companies, such as Airbus, ATR, Safran, Thales and Liebherr; or active participation to conferences, such as USAIRE and Royal Aeronautical Society – Toulouse Branch. 

Students will learn through classwork, case studies, group projects, role playing games, field studies and workshops. There will be a chance to demonstrate your knowledge in a dissertation and practice your skills in an optional professional internship.

Sponsored by the University of Strathclyde

Located in the northern third of the UK, Scotland is a thriving business hub. Scotland’s cities offer excellent transport links and great infrastructure but come with a lower cost of living than some other European cities. This makes them very attractive to international businesses looking to expand overseas, and many international companies choose to have offices in Scotland.

Scotland is also home to 19 universities, including the University of Strathclyde: a leading technological and research-focused university located in the heart of Glasgow.

TopUniversities spoke to University of Strathclyde alumna Zelda Li, who moved to Scotland to study an MSc in Applied Economics after earning an undergraduate degree in mainland China. Since gaining her master’s, Zelda has returned to China to start her online career coaching business.

Zelda told TopUniversities how studying in Scotland helped her start her business.

Why did you decide to study economics at the University of Strathclyde?

I chose to study a master’s in economics at the University of Strathclyde because it has one of the most prestigious business schools and applied economics degrees in the UK. The school has an excellent reputation and is spoken of very highly in mainland China.

The University of Strathclyde define itself as the place of useful learning, which I liked as it showed me the degree would be practical.

Another reason for choosing the University of Strathclyde was that I love Scotland. The people are very friendly, nice and speak straight to the point. I’m from northern China and have a similar personality to this, so I really resonated with the Scottish personality. I felt very welcome. I also loved the historical buildings, the opportunities to go hiking and the castles.

Could you tell me a bit about your career so far?

Before starting my master’s at Strathclyde, I had 10 years of experience working in China. I worked as a recruiter for about five years, and my last job was covering Beijing and San Francisco office recruiting.

While I was in the UK, I interviewed with companies in the UK, such as JP Morgan, Uber and Amazon. I got an offer from JP Morgan in Glasgow. However, I declined the job offer as I wanted to go back to China to start my own business. I have a social media channel in China that has 13,000 followers, so I wanted to work on my social media channel start-up.

However, initially the start-up didn’t generate too much profit. Someone in London reached out to me and asked me if I would work for them for four hours a day as a part time independent contractor. So now in the mornings I focus on my social media start-up and in the afternoons I work as a part-time headhunter for a London-based firm.

After graduating you decided to start your own business. Please could you explain what your business does?

Initially I wanted to start a career coaching channel because I used to be a recruiter so I could share my expertise. I shared my experience of interviewing with JP Morgan and Bloomberg on my channel. My followers loved that so I thought, ‘why not start my own career channel?’.

I am still adjusting the direction of my business, but it will be about building a career, job hunting and interviewing in the Western world. 

Why did you decide to start your business?

When I was in the final stage of my master’s, writing my dissertation, I got really stressed and I used my social media channel to connect to other students who were doing their dissertation while job hunting. Lots of people resonated with it and that’s why my channel started to attract more followers.

My target audience was primarily Mandarin-speaking. I thought if I then went back to China after graduating, I would be able to develop much more relevant content for my target audience.

Looking forward, if everything goes well, I might move back to London to work. The company I’m working with part-time has offered me a potential position if I do decide to move back.

How do you think studying at Strathclyde prepared you for entrepreneurship? What skills did you learn in your degree that helped you build and run your business?

Doing an applied economics degree at the University of Strathclyde definitely helped me to think more systematically.

If you want to start your own business, you cannot rely solely on passion. You have to systematically prepare for it. You need to do your research and understand what your target audience wants. Analyse the situations and understand the potential challenges you may encounter, as well as any costs.

Since studying my master’s at Strathclyde, I feel like I’m doing things in a much more productive and efficient way and I have the ability to tackle much more complex and sophisticated problems. I am also much more confident than I was before. I know that there are going to be problems, but I also know that I can come up with solutions.

How did the University of Strathclyde support you in your career?

The University of Strathclyde really supported me when I was searching for jobs in the UK. The University of Strathclyde’s career services helped me with the interview process, with adjusting my CV and understanding how to effectively job hunt.

I also had a conversation with the careers services to find out and understand the many differences between interviews in the UK and in the US.

Are there any non-academic things that you experienced while studying in Scotland that have helped you in your career so far?

This is the first time that I have worked so closely with people from different countries and different cultures.

In the past I’ve found that when you’re working with somebody, you don’t usually work directly with them on a project. For example, as a recruiter I often have calls or face-to-face meetings, but these only last for around 30 to 45 minutes. However, in my master’s study, I got the chance to closely work with lots of different students on projects and presentations. I think working this closely with people enriches the way you communicate and understand others.

This has helped me in my career, as it helped me to better understand how people communicate and how they handle things.

Overall, would you recommend studying abroad in Scotland?

Of course! I loved studying in Glasgow. Scotland is really beautiful and a great place to be a student and the people are all so friendly.

When I wasn’t studying, I would go hiking in the natural parks, see movies, travel around Scotland’s cities. There are also festivals, such as the Edinburgh festival, which has music, markets and lots of handcrafts. I would definitely recommend studying in Scotland.

The new QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2023 assess 700 universities around the world to determine their environmental and social impact.  

Institutional impact is evaluated across eight categories (or indicators) to effectively capture university performance when it comes to making positive change for people and planet.  

The rankings can provide a helpful starting point to understanding how environmentally and socially conscious a university is. You can use the rankings to see how your shortlisted universities perform, or if you’re keen to choose a degree from a high-ranking sustainable university, you can start your university search here too.  

How to use the rankings in my university search 

The QS Sustainability Rankings 2023 ranks each of the 700 institutions overall, but you can also filter by indicator.  

Indicators are split into environmental sustainability measures – including sustainable institutions, sustainable education and sustainable research – and social impact measures – including equality, knowledge exchange, educational impact, employability and opportunities, and quality of life. We’ll get into what these each mean below.  

The rankings can give you an idea of the responsibility universities are taking when it comes to sustainability, but they can’t make the choice for you. We recommend that your next step is to look at the plans, actions and initiatives on university websites to get a feel for what’s important to you.  

While not all universities around the world submitted data to be included in the rankings, institutions with a strong, clear commitment to sustainable and social impact have been picked up and included regardless of their participation.  

What do the indicators mean? 

The eight indicators that determine the QS Sustainability Rankings are split into two sections that consider the relevant and important aspects that students care about.  

Environmental impact 

The environmental impact rankings reflect the outward impact a university is making when it comes to building a sustainable institution, engaging in relevant and impactful research and embedding sustainability in the curriculum.  

The sustainable institutions indicator considers whether a university holds membership in officially-recognised climate action or sustainability groups, has a publicly available sustainability strategy and energy emissions report, has student societies focused on environmental sustainability, and a published commitment to becoming NetZero.  

The sustainable education indicator looks at alumni outcomes and academic reputation within earth, marine and environmental sciences courses, and the availability of courses that embed climate science and/or sustainability within the curriculum. If a university has a research centre dedicated to environmental sustainability, further points are gained.   

The sustainable research indicator assesses the university’s research activity around the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals and whether the government is funding research and development in this area.  

Social impact 

How seriously do institutions take their role in creating a more equal, fair and just world? As well as environmental impact, the QS Sustainability Rankings also considers university impact around today’s biggest social issues.  

The equality indicator assesses institutions on a variety of measures including the proportion of female students and faculty, the availability of public equality, diversity and inclusion policy, and the disability support available.   

The knowledge exchange indicator measures universities on their commitment to knowledge transfer in collaboration with less-economically-supported institutions, and a university’s inclination to partner with other institutions and organisations.  

Impact of education looks at the university’s research into quality education, alumni impact and academic reputation in relevant social subjects, and how free students and academics are in pursuing their research without censorship.   

The employability and opportunities indicator gives each university an employer reputation score and an employment outcomes score, based on how prepared students are for successful careers. Universities are also assessed on research into work and economic growth, and peace, justice and strong institutions, as well as the rate of unemployment within the country they’re based in.  

Quality of life is the final social impact indicator, used to understand an institution’s commitment to wellbeing within and outside of the university. We also look at research activity into quality of life, health options on campus and air quality in the region, for example. 

Find out more information about how each category is assessed. 

How to filter the rankings 

You can easily filter the QS Sustainability Rankings by region and indicator. For example, if you want to discover universities in the United States with a strong equality score, you can use the drop-down menu to choose the region and/or location.  

Once you’ve filtered the list into US universities, you can click the ‘Rankings indicator’ tab and scroll through the indicators at the top of the rankings table to find the one you want. Click ‘equality’ and the table will be automatically filtered from highest to lowest based on that indicator.  

What do I do next?  

Once you’ve used the rankings to understand how environmentally and socially impactful your shortlisted universities are, we recommend exploring their profile pages on TopUniversities.com and their own websites to find the specific policies and initiatives of each university.  

The QS Sustainability Rankings are helpful as a starting point, but it’s important to visit university websites, attend open days, watch videos and chat to students about their experiences.  

Once you’ve done as much research as you can and understand what you want to achieve from your university experience, then you (and only you) can make the right decision for your future.  

Good luck!