Alumni Discussion: Navigating Development Careers in the Twenty-First Century Artwork

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Alumni Discussion: Navigating Development Careers in the Twenty-First Century

November 12, 2025 • Global Development Institute

In this episode, Dr Natalie Cunningham, Senior Lecturer in Leadership for Development at GDI, speaks to three UoM alumni about their experiences navigating the contemporary development and humanitarian landscape. Contributors include Stephanie Lord (Head of Global Emergency at the Danish Refugee Council), Shamilah Perumal (Minister for Economic Affairs in the High Commission of Malaysia in New Delhi), and Anna Spethman (Lecturer and Volunteer Manager at the University of Nebraska, Omaha).

This episode is published as part of our initiative exploring the ways in which global crises are impacting the GDI alumni community. If you're a former GDI student keen to share your story, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch with louisa.hann@manchester.ac.uk for further information.

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Intro music Anna Banana by Eaters

Speaker 1 [00:00:02] Welcome to the Global Development Institute podcast. Based at the University of Manchester, we're Europe's largest research and teaching institute addressing poverty and inequality. Each episode, we'll bring you the latest thinking, insights and debate in development study.

Speaker 2 [00:00:31] Thank you for joining us today on navigating the development sector during volatile times. We are looking at this podcast particularly in the place of a poly-crisis. And for those not familiar with the term poly-crises, what we're looking at is multiple crises happening at the same time, interacting with one another. And this makes the situation so much more difficult to handle than managing an individual crisis. So what does this mean for us when we go and work in the development sector, when we choose to be in the developmental humanitarian sector, how do we navigate the space? We'll start off by looking at how our speakers today got into developmental humanitarian space, their background, and then they'll be sharing some stories of how they've navigated that. So I'm gonna start off and ask them briefly to introduce themselves. Our first speaker that I'll ask to introduce herself is Stephanie Lord. Stephanie, you can just tell us a little bit about who you are and where you work in.

Speaker 3 [00:01:37] Thanks, Natalie, great to be with you. My name is Stephanie Lord. I'm the Global Head of Emergency at Danish Refugee Council based in our headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Speaker 2 [00:01:50] Thank you. Shamila.

Speaker 4 [00:01:53] Hi all. So I'm Shamila Perumar. I'm the Minister for Economic Affairs in the High Commission of Malaysia in New Delhi. So, I'm a diplomat from the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry from the Government of Malaysia and currently I'm based in the in the high commission of Malaysia, in New delhi. Thank you.

Speaker 2 [00:02:14] Thank you so much, and Anna Spethman.

Speaker 5 [00:02:17] Hi there, great to be here. My name is Anna Spethman. Currently, I manage volunteer and civic engagement programs at the University of Nebraska Omaha here in the United States. I'm also a lecturer at the university for a course called Global Challenges of the 21st Century. And prior to this role, I was working as a senior information officer with the US Agency for International Development's Bureau for humanitarian assistance.

Speaker 2 [00:02:45] I'm gonna ask each of you to share your story of what inspired you to go into development of the humanitarian work. So just share a little bit about what led you to the studies and why you have chosen this field. And let's begin with you this time, Shamila.

Speaker 4 [00:03:02] So first and foremost, when I joined GDI, I have already started working with the government of Malaysia. However, in term of pursuing higher education, sorry, postgraduate, so I decided to understand what are the developmental issues that are closely related to human and also people and especially life and livelihoods. So the multi-dimensional aspects of developmental issues and its connection to human life and livelihoods have been the source of inspiration on why I actually chose the developmental studies at the Global Development of Institute of University of Manchester.

Speaker 2 [00:03:50] Thank you so much. Anna, would you like to share what led you to this?

Speaker 5 [00:03:57] Absolutely. So prior to pursuing my postgraduate degree at the University of Manchester, I had worked in local refugee resettlement in my town, my college town, that really gave me the opportunity to work very closely with a lot of different populations from around the world, particularly folks, muses from Iraq, and as well folks coming from the Congo and Afghanistan, and it gave me this, global perspective and opportunity to act locally and really, really heightened my interest in the humanitarian and international development fields. And similar to what Shamila said, I really appreciate how multi-dimensional this field of study is because it captures so many interests, personal and professional interests of mine, whether that be political science, social services, conflict history. Policy making and this degree program and this field really was the wonderful intersection point for all of that. And as well, I had the opportunity to work in different local disaster response operations that helped to also give way to my personal and professional interests in development, particularly around recovery from disasters and resilience within communities. Following disaster scenarios, and that really drew me into University of Manchester's programs, specifically within the Humanitarian Conflict Response Institute, where we also had the opportunity to take courses in GDI, given all of the intersection between disaster response and longer-term development practices. Thank you so much, Anna.

Speaker 3 [00:05:40] Yeah, I think, I suppose it was more what did I not want to do for me. I was doing a, my undergraduate studies was in economics and I had one module on development economics, which I really enjoyed. All of my friends from university were going into the big banks and the private sector, and there was just something that didn't quite fit for me, if that was to be my future career. So I ended up traveling around the world a little bit and applying for the Masters at the University of Manchester, which is also where I'm from, so it was financially possible for me to study a Masters degree. While I was traveling around the world, I happened to be lucky enough to get into Myanmar, also known as Burma. Which was and continues to be very difficult to get a visa to. And while I was there, that happened to be the Cyclone Nargis in 2008, a huge natural disaster, which was a very complicated and complex humanitarian response for those who were in the sector. And I had a front row seat of the impact of the damage and what a very complicated and unprincipled approach can look like, as well as organizations trying to deliver a principled approach. So that only spurred me on, I think, and then when I got to the University of Manchester, I really felt that actually, yes, this is more where I'd like to be. And this is more the direction that I think is well suited to me. And I took it from there. I ended up focusing more on the complex side of things. Which remains probably where my expertise is today in terms of humanitarian response. But that was certainly the platform that has dictated and influenced the rest of my career to date.

Speaker 2 [00:07:46] Thank you. Very interestingly, I did a study. In my role as the university lecturer in researching lifelong learning and what people wanted and why they went into development. And most people who are in development are there because of some personal experiences, such as you've shared. Very few people consciously choose development. As an early sort of degree, you know, so it does happen. We do have an undergraduate program in development and this is new, but it's often driven, like you said, as a volunteer, Anna, where you were working with some people in a space or you were in a situation where you saw something. So the difference quite considerably in people working in the development space, as opposed to those working maybe in the bank or wherever they are, is there's quite a personal passion. Make a difference and to want to have an impact. So we need to acknowledge that. So going in there were different times and maybe you can just recap for our listeners when you did your masters and you went out to work after your masters. What did the market look like after you graduated and how does it compare to today's graduates who might be graduating now at the end of 2025. So. Let's start with you, Anna.

Speaker 5 [00:09:13] Yeah, absolutely. So actually, almost towards the end of my degree, the COVID pandemic broke out. So my degree program at the University of Manchester unfortunately was abruptly interrupted as the university had shut down and a lot of folks were returning to their home countries to finish out their degrees online. So not only was I up against the uncertainty of the virus, the fate of the world in this global crisis, but the job market itself was also very uncertain at that time. So I graduated December of 2020 and admittedly I did apply anywhere from 150 to 200 roles while I was finishing up my dissertation and following grad school. And I think I about 10 interviews out of 150 to 200 roles. What I was finding was it was so important for me to supplement the degree that I had with even more experiences and hard skills that I could get. So I had the privilege of when I was at home during the pandemic finishing out my degree, the privilege to volunteer with the American Red Cross and pursue work in different domestic response operations, including sheltering of displaced. People on the West Coast affected by massive wildfires in California and Oregon, and then as well helping with sheltering of unaccompanied minors at our southern border and reunification efforts and case management efforts. And I found that those experiences that I took on as a volunteer really helped me in the job market later on as I continued to apply for different jobs because I was thrown into these different scenarios and experiences that. Challenged me within this field more directly and gave me real-world experiences that I could translate on my resume now beyond the classroom, which I found incredibly helpful. So the landscape, wow, since 2020, at least in the US in terms of international developments and humanitarian response has greatly shifted since I graduated. In fact, I'm sure as many people know In recent months, the US Agency for International Development has actually closed its doors. We're very hopeful that that's temporary. At the time, I had worked there two years beforehand in different capacities, primarily in communications and programming as a senior information officer in the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and got to see firsthand the incredible impact of US foreign disaster assistance in the countries that we were serving during and after. A multitude of crises and you know I'm cautiously optimistic about what the next few years may bring for graduates in this field, at least in the U.S. I think a lot of people I wouldn't encourage them to use this time where there might not be as many job opportunities to really refine and work on developing those hard skills because as I'm sure everyone can speak to here, working in the international development, humanitarian, for. You gain a lot of different and broad skill sets, particularly in communications and writing and coordination. And sometimes it's not always as easy to translate on a resume or transition to the corporate world or other fields when those opportunities may not be abound particularly here in the United States. So really encouraging people right now, given the landscape and being responsive to the landscape to focus on developing. More hard skills, likely in project management, in different technical skill sets, conducting these assessments, being a consultant, looking at more of those business development skills that could be incredibly helpful to you, not only in the near term, but long term, should more development and humanitarian opportunities open up again, and hopefully sooner than later, but at least in these next few years as we finish up. The current administration, I think we're going to see a lot of transition opportunities will look like. Who owns those opportunities in humanitarianism and international development and how our country prioritizes this work overseas moving forward. We're in a really big transition period, so a lot has yet to be foreseen.

Speaker 2 [00:13:41] And thank you for some of those practical tips that you shared as well for people in this transition space. I think I'll move to Stephanie, because you're also working largely in the humanitarian sector. And then I'm gonna come back to you, Shalini, looking at more policy and the government role. So Stephanie, if you wanna share what the job market looked like for you and your journey and then how it differs for people now. Yes, I think

Speaker 3 [00:14:10] I think it's hard to tell what the job market looks like at the moment because it's a particularly unique situation where there's been a huge withdrawal of funding from the sector as a whole. And so there are a lot less job opportunities. They typically are the most core functions that I would imagine in the humanitarian sector and probably for the development sector as well. Job roles that we absolutely cannot do without and often at the country level, all core functions at a headquarters office. To be honest, this was not dissimilar back when I was applying and I graduated around 2009. There were many opportunities, often based overseas, but it was so hard to break into the sector without having that previous experience. And the country offices where a lot of the work that we focus on actually takes place. And it's kind of a vicious circle. You had to break into it to get the experience, but you needed the experience to break in to it. So it was challenging. I ended up doing a unpaid internship on the Thai Myanmar border, inspired by the hurricane or the cyclone that I had experienced a year before and became very passionate about working on Myanmar. And where I worked for a local organization that focused on proposal writing and advocacy for development work and sometimes humanitarian work in the kind state of Myanmar. I was living with my Burmese colleagues. It was a great experience, but it wasn't always the easiest. And from there, it also didn't materialize into a job, obviously, because it was all volunteer work. So then I went back to the UK and applied for a lot of jobs and had a lot of difficult times trying to find a job where I could, where I could begin. I think in the end, I did a number of different roles, administrative and then more project specific, but the main breakthrough for me was when I got a job at Save the Children. And I think the work that I had done in the unpaid internship directly with Myanmar was one of the things that stood out on my CV from what my hiring manager told me. I think there's often a lot more opportunities if you're more sector-specific, so if you work in economic recovery or protection, typically you already have a level of expertise that can be applied to different contexts, but when you're coming from more of a generalist background like myself, then you don't have that area of specialism. Your skillsets are assumed to be more managerial or strategic, operational, and that's difficult to kind of prove if you haven't. Had the opportunity to do so at a country office level. For now, I think what I notice is that there are more opportunities in the Global South or in the countries that we deliver our programs in. There are more national jobs because I think the education levels or access to education globally has improved and we don't need to fly in people from. European countries as much anymore and I think that's a great shift for the sector and it really brings a much more valuable perspective to the work that we do and I would still I still feel like maybe there's not as much allure or appeal for people to go to the hardship duty stations like South Sudan and live up in the north where you don't leave for eight weeks and when you get your R&R and the living conditions are quite hard and unsafe and basic, eh? That was always the dream for many people when I graduated. We were all desperate for that. I don't know if that's the case anymore because I think remote working, that increased connectivity has really improved this and there's less need for us to be in some of these locations, even though the needs are absolutely still there in the countries. So it's difficult to say. It's definitely not an easy time, but I would say if there is an opportunity to go to the country offices. Or to take an entry-level job at one of the headquarters to absolutely do it. We all have to start somewhere and work our way up. In Denmark, there are some paid entry- level jobs at the headquarters, and they're really exciting. And if not, the internships can be equally rewarding, offering opportunities for research and innovation. And we have continuous internships, again, at DRC, Here in Copenhagen, fool. People to come and experience working with our teams. So it doesn't sound like the best option financially, but I would say in terms of experience, it is a great opportunity.

Speaker 2 [00:19:16] Thank you Stephanie, and thanks also for the emphasis on the learning experience, you know, so it's not just about volunteering or working as an intern, but actually what am I learning, what skill sets am I getting that are going to help me. So thank you for that. Sheminda, you're in a slightly different role, more in a development and policy making role. Do you want to share your journey from graduation and then what do you think of but people going into a more policymaking role and how that would be influenced today.

Speaker 4 [00:19:53] I think as you rightfully mentioned, Natalie, my field of work is completely different from what Anna and Stephanie is doing. And I just want to expand a little from what Stephanie spoke about with regards to the remuneration or the wages. And again, when you sign up for developmental studies, it's not so much about what are you going to earn at the end of the day. It's more about what are you going to contribute towards the society. And how are you going to make a change? So again, when I graduated in 2008, I was already working. So it's a very much a different kind of scenario from the graduates that will be looking for a job at this point of time, at that point of town, or even for that matter at this part of time. So now it's already about seven to eight years after my graduation. To be honest, the environment has evolved drastically. You already have AI, deep tech, big data. This is changing how the way we are working and living now. And again, there are more, things are more dynamic now and things are constantly changing. And we are talking about polycrisis. Polycrisise is here to stay for a bit. And we got to be very mindful of how this is going to have an impact on when you are going into looking for a job in a very different kind of job market. Expectations of the stakeholders of your employees. And even for that matter, people at large is very different. And also my fellow speakers spoke about the hard skill and soft skills. So these are going to compliment each other. It's very important for graduates to have both the skills and when they are looking for a job out there. And again, real life experience is different from what we are learning in theory. So, of course. When we learn in the classroom or for that matter, even if we are going for a field study and all that, that experience is completely different when you go out there and look for a job as a matter and also when you start working. So a graduate or who's going out there to look for a job or who is already working, even for me, flexibility is the key. We need to be more open to the challenges that we are gonna face. And as I mentioned earlier, Polycrisis is here to stay. So it's about how nimble are we going to be with the changing environment. So that's the key at this point of time.

Speaker 2 [00:22:32] Thank you for that. And that whole thing about adaptability, flexibility, being able to pivot, is being able to deal with ambiguity, complexity. Those are skills that are so critical. They're also sometimes quite hard to measure. But it's something that is required. And so one of the things that young graduates need to also reflect on is, how am I developing my ability to pivot, to adapt. To be flexible and what skills do I have, what grounds me, what holds me, what changes. So talking about the actual experience, Suman, I'm gonna go back to you and ask you, how do you think this polycrisis is actually impacting on your organization and your role at the moment? And if you can give any concrete examples, that would be useful. Yeah, sure.

Speaker 4 [00:23:26] I think prior to this polycrisis, we had the COVID-19. The COVID- 19 has transformed our entire global environment as well as our lives personally. So that has an impact in everything. And now with the polycrisis coming into the picture. The complete environment and ecosystem has evolved and it has changed a lot. So I would like to say that just picking up from how human being has evolved from where we are, where we were to where we are now. One thing about human beings is we are very nimble, very agile, and we are adaptable to the changing environment. And I would like to just, and this is what we learned in our developmental studies. So from my ministry, as well as the government's experience as a whole, I would just like to focus on the free trade agreement because that is what we are doing in my role at this point of time. So what we used to do is, at when we started negotiating free trade agreements, we were just looking at cost effectiveness and pure opening of market. So now we are looking at security, diversification and resilience, like you were talking in your field of work that you have been doing. So the goal has shifted from de-risking supply chains, looking at engaging with non-traditional partners for expansion of trade and investment. And we are looking at adopting a targeted approach to secure our national interest and safeguard businesses. So this we have moved from a purely market opening perspective to a more targeted approaches to ensure that whatever policy that we are making is able to sustain. Is able to overcome the challenges that we are facing with the polycrisis, at the same time bringing the benefits that we need for our nation and our people at large. And just to add to that, we are also looking at integration of green and energy consideration in policy making, because these are all the new and emerging issues that we have at this point of time that has an impact on people and the society at large. So I'll stop there.

Speaker 2 [00:26:18] Thank you, Shimina. So what, Stedney, if we can go to you, what Shimina was really saying is about the opening, not the old traditional ways, not a narrow focus, but a much broader focus and being able to kind of look from climate change to diversification, non-traditional ways. So it's also requiring a shift, not just in the processes, but also in your mind and the that generalize things. Could you share how... The polycrisis is impacting your organizations, Stephanie, and any examples of how it's changing or not. Yeah, so I mean.

Speaker 3 [00:26:59] You used the word pivot earlier, Natalie, about ourselves, but I think that's an increasingly demanded word that is expected of NGOs as well. We're expected to pivot constantly and to be able to do everything that's needed in a country facing a crisis. So for example, for my organization, we have to be to do development and humanitarian action at the same time, often even in the same place. So for example, Syria, there is many opportunities to start looking at returns and durable solutions and self-reliance, but at the same time, we still have pockets of emergency and humanitarian assistance that's needed. And all the while, it's in a context of very, very high complexity and risk. We basically have to do more with less. There is very little funding nowadays. There's more critical eyes on us and how we operate and how use the money we have. But it's also currently the hardest time, I would say, to be a humanitarian and deliver effective and accountable humanitarian responses with the complete violation of international humanitarian law and human rights generally. As I said, there's less funding so it's difficult to manage safety and security and humanitarian workers are often faced with safety and security challenges increasingly. There are more and more complex issues such as access and the stakeholders that we actually do have to engage with such as armed groups and de facto authorities. Our humanitarian principles are constantly challenged. There are huge risks to us on the ground and a disregard for the work that we do. And all that is coming with an increased scrutiny and an expectation that we should be the perfect humanitarians. Which is becoming impossible when we have fewer resources. And all this comes in the face of limited to no multilateralism on a global level from some of the largest global political actors or economic actors and groups to help find solutions for some of most protracted and complex crises. So it means that we are just forced to make harder decisions in terms of what we're able to deliver and where we're increasingly competing with each other as NGOs. In even more complex and increasingly numerous emergency contexts. And then on top of that, we're also expected to think green and environmentally friendly and be inclusive and make sure we're ensuring gender inclusion and gender equality and innovative practices. All of which I completely agree with and I'm very supportive of, but it's becoming impossible to do everything everywhere all at once with less resources.

Speaker 2 [00:29:50] I'm going to go to Anna to ask her to comment on her experience, but I'm going to come back to you after Anna, Stephanie, and you can help us get some thought to the question, what are your greatest concerns and your, and what are you opting, I'm gonna combine the question. What is the greatest concern and what is your hopes or optimistic nature say, because one of the concerns that pops up to me is just the sustainability of the individual, you know, how do you. Not burn out and stop with all the scrutiny and the demands. But that was my perspective. So I'll come back to you on what is the greatest concerns and what are you optimistic about. But Anna, to go to your experience, what is polycrisis impacting on your organization and concrete examples? So you can perhaps refer to the change in role that you had or the current role that you have.

Speaker 5 [00:30:44] Yeah, I'm happy to speak more from my previous background with USAID, but I'd just say in short the combination of poly-crisis environment and the abrupt dismantling and narrow current restructuring of USAID really has created this high risk moment for the humanitarian sector in the U.S. The sector now faces higher demands given all the complex emergencies around the world, as my colleagues here spoke to. More complex operating environments as well, fewer predictable resources as we've seen with shifts in funding and reduced funding from the U.S. Government as it shifts priorities as well. And ultimately that weaker institutional support. So this needs to be managed very carefully and it could really lead to what if you're reduced mandatory effectiveness from the US in that sense and maybe higher risk exposure for some of the organizations still operating. In these environments and yeah, just a very dramatic shift in that sense, but hopefully we're able to come out of this in the coming years if there's greater priority and emphasis and additional funding put towards at these efforts on a global scale, at least from the U.S. Perspective.

Speaker 2 [00:32:00] Thank you Anna for that. One of the challenges that we've seen is the increase in our masters and leadership for development of the number of people who are actually doing, they already have a masters and they already have some of them even have PhDs, but they're looking how do I lead in this place because it is so complex. It is so demanding. And so We crippled our intake on that particular program because... We are struggling with those leadership dynamics and the new way of operating. And all of you have used the word complexity in some way, or context, the context of complexity. So I'm going to start with Stephanie with a question. What is the concerns and hopes you have about the future? And then I'll come back to you, Anna, and then Mila for your concerns and hopes. But Stephanie, what are your concerns and hopes about the future? Thank you for your question.

Speaker 3 [00:32:59] And a very difficult one to answer, when you mentioned burnout and I really think that that's a very real thing in our sector, but I also very much worry for the mental health and safety of people that we work on behalf of. We really are seeing a very, very worrying trend, there's increasing access to very worrying or scary weapons. So we're seeing the increased use of drones, indiscriminately targeting populations and humanitarian workers and a complete lack of accountability for those. And my organization also works in mine action. So the use of explosive ordnance and cluster munitions and things, this is also worrying. And added to that, we're starting to a number of countries. Pull out of some of the treaties that we had, which really were very meaningful, such as the Cluster of Munitions ban linked to their use in Ukraine and countries around Ukraine, pulling out of those bans, as well as a reduction of freedom of speech as well. That's also presenting a very worrying trend in the humanitarian and development sector as well, we see a crackdown on the general public in different countries. Speaking out on crises like Gaza, which is really concerning. And then, of course, there's a huge lack of resources, as I mentioned, a real decrease in funding, because more and more governance are channeling their funding to safety and security, or political interest and trade, rather than humanitarian and development money. And so we're going to really struggle to address the root causes. Many of the conflicts and the migration routes and negative coping mechanisms that we see. All the while, we also need to really take environmental and climate change, environmental concerns and climate changes seriously and really put our investments in the right way. So these are quite worrying, especially during a poly-crisis where we just have so many complex emergencies. I mentioned already humanitarian principles and violations of IHL. And these are potentially at their worst ever. And then the rhetoric around the humanitarian resets. There's a lot of rhetoric saying we should go back to basics, but that would be a step back. We really have made a lot of progress in the humanitarian and development sector, and we wouldn't want to go back from that. We want to keep progressing and have the opportunity to build on what we've learned and what we know, and keep finding. Better ways to do things, being more effective, more value for money, of course, but at the same time, we need to still be able to deliver life-saving assistance and recovery for populations, otherwise the world is going to be continually facing polycrisis, I feel. Um, leadership is a really interesting point, just... That you mentioned, and it's a concept or a skill that I feel is not valued enough in our sector, but it can make the difference in an organization or in an entity that you work for accountable and inspiring and transparent leadership. I think it is critical, and we don't see that on the global stage exemplified very often. And that's also quite worrying, but it's certainly something that I value and have always valued as I've progressed in my career and undertaking different roles. And it's definitely something that I always aspire to myself and can bring optimism where there feels like there isn't any. So good, strong leadership, accountable leadership, I would always be optimistic where I found that. But otherwise, I think... This is also present the humanitarian and the funding challenges also presents us with an opportunity to realign ourselves as organizations and ask ourselves, are we adequately lean enough and efficient? Are we providing value for money as NGOs and really getting the money to where it should be until the affected populations all over the world? Because that's our focus. That's what we need to do. If this is If there is a silver lining, then I think that's actually a good opportunity. There's also opportunities from AI and increased access to information and engagement with our clients. Our clients are affected populations all over the world. And this might be a good opportunities for us to engage more directly with our client. And for them to be able to say more about what they want, what they need, and where they see their future. Rather than having organizations impose anything on people. So there are lots of opportunities, of course, there's always some risks as well with social media and the like, but we have seen some progress in areas linked to this and increased accountability such as we're able to talk more about sexual harassment and abuse in our context now, and that can only be a good thing. So I think giving a voice to affected populations is a great... Reasons to be optimistic in the future.

Speaker 2 [00:38:50] Thank you. And it's really good to balance those hard concerns with some hope and optimism. And one of the areas that I'm particularly researching is the role of hope in times of despair, and what is the meaning of hope or optimism. And the one sort of definition of hope is hope is visualizing a possible future that isn't present at the moment. So, you know, you're talking about... Let us, you know, it's an opportunity to realign the hope that we could be something different. So Anna, let's hear your concerns and your hopes about the future, and then we'll go through to Shamila as we move towards the end of this podcast.

Speaker 5 [00:39:37] So a few concerns that I have about the future of current global state of affairs is just really the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters that we're seeing around the world. Floods, droughts, wildfires, I mean, really stretching resources, humanitarian development, and displacing millions more. These are the things that keep me up at night, right? There's also, you know, the fact that crises are lasting longer. I mean Yemen, Sudan, Gaza. Creating these chronic emergencies and all happening at the same time that really global humanitarian needs are at record highs, but donor contributions are stagnating. I think, what is it, the UN's humanitarian appeals are often summited at less than 50%. So these are some major concerns that come to mind when we think about the future, but what does give me hope about the feature, I mean, everything that Stephanie had said echoed at 100%, but. Also, the fact that we have very passionate people leading this work and interested in coming into this work, similar to what you mentioned earlier, Natalie, people oftentimes don't just opt in to this field just out of curiosity, but rather the experiences that they have, the connection they have with people and places and the issues they care about really help to drive them into this world, and I think that's so important. I mean... Ever since, you know, USAID started shutting its doors, I've heard from folks around the world talking about how despite there being funding cuts in their programs, local actors who are working in USAID-funded programs are still showing up every day to do the work. And I think that just really shows how passionate folks are about supporting the populations and the communities that they live in and that they care about and are affected and. It really gives me hope that no matter the challenges, people who come into this field really know how to weather the storm and work together and what's best for their communities and will be innovative and determined to make that impact despite all of these challenges discussed.

Speaker 2 [00:41:53] Thank you, Anna, for that impact on passionate, purpose-driven individuals wanting to contribute. Is there a balance with that concern that they may burn out or, you know, but the desire to make an impact? And, you now, often I've been very involved in coaching. And one of the things that I often say is the world changes one conversation at a time. And I think it's the same in development. It's one action. At a time that we start to see the opportunities. Shamila, what is your hopes and concerns for the future and moving away from pure humanitarian to also looking at development and the role of government in the future? Sure.

Speaker 4 [00:42:39] I think, as you mentioned, mine is mainly related to policymaking. So the current constant that speaks directly is the foundational structure of the society. So the danger of societal polarization, the erosion of trust, which is being significantly accelerated by the spread of misinformation and disinformation through the unregulated news, especially on the social media. So this. A flood of unregulated information and alternative facts are leading to epistemic crisis. And the algorithms are being designed to maximize engagement, often by promoting emotionally charged, outrageous or divisive content. So these are things that have direct impact on the society, which worries the government. So this is a thread that does not blow up. World immediately, but it's slowly sipping and rotting the fabric of the society from inside. So this is something that from our viewpoint needs to be addressed now immediately, and we are taking some measures in order to look how to address this concern. And about optimistic optimism about the future. Of course, again, I just want to go back to history. The collective spirit of survival of humankind and then now with a combination of technological advancements. So this will be able to overcome any kind of crisis that we may be, that we are having enough? And again, the fact that we are actually talking about this polycrisis now we're having this podcast and there's a lot of discourse and discussions are happening with regards to polyc risis and the worry impact of it. So it shows that there's level of global consciousness with regards the polyc crisis and there is a genuine effort to actually address such issues. So we are identifying the existential risks. And this is a step that we need to take in order to solve them. So meaning to say that we are no longer blind to the problem and we are actively looking into it and sort of building or finding tools to fight them. So this is what I'm optimistic about the future. Thank you, Nidhi.

Speaker 2 [00:45:26] Thank you, and thank you for reminding us of the collective spirit and the role of collectiveness and collaboration. I think that the technology advancement brings huge opportunities, but also some risks if it's not managed appropriately. But I think there is a great opportunity that can be done with reflective, insightful use of technology. In ending, I'm going to ask you to give a very short kind of summary. What would, what advice, what would you say to students who are either just embarking on a development degree or in the middle of a degree and going to be leaving, what you would say to these students, what sort of words of wisdom, words of experience, what do you say? Let's.

Speaker 5 [00:46:19] Start with you, Anna. Absolutely. So while you're studying at the University of Manchester and before your studies finish, really take advantage of the wealth of knowledge that the different staff and faculty and other classmates bring to the table. I remember when I was a graduate student there, I had classmates who were actively working with UNHCR, the World Food Program, and lots of different capacities in the spaces that I was very interested in. I found it was so helpful to be able to hear about their experiences and exchange those experiences and information with like-minded and passionate people. So really, really enjoy that and nourish it and see where those connections may take you. Also, if there's ways to get involved, even beyond the campus, please do while you're a student. I think at least, you know, speaking to my experiences, I had the opportunity to intern with a refugee-serving organization that supported refugees, Music Action International. They did a lot of programming and outreach for refugees who were calling Manchester their home. So it was one of the ways I could think global and act local. Another way I was doing that was also working for another charity, the Boas Trust Charity, where I was helping to manage a night reception center for unhoused asylum seekers in Manchester. So once again, getting to work with folks who had been affected by these global crises and challenges that we've discussed in this podcast today, and helping to be a part of maybe some solutions for them and some resources and support right there in Manchester as a student. So I think that was also integral to my career progression later. And then finally, seek out opportunities that you can to really supplement what you're learning in the classroom, to help you in that career trajectory. That could even be, you know, seeking out remote. Internships and experiences. That was not available to me pre-pandemic, but now we have remote opportunities where you're not restricted by geography and you can contribute to a larger mission or organization and get that work experience early on and those transferable skills that can help you. There's a plethora of resources out there to find these opportunities, including Relief Web. That's where I found a lot of remote internships that were paid also and really helped me. As I transitioned from school into the job market because I was able to collect all of these different experiences, gain skills, hone them, refine them. And I think it really was a great jumping off point for how I ended up working in the international disaster response space with the US government.

Speaker 2 [00:49:05] Thank you, Anna. Shamila, what would you say to the students studying Auba?

Speaker 4 [00:49:12] I think first and foremost, just be curious and engage actively with your fellow students, your surroundings, your faculty members. Again, the theory that you learn in the development studies. For me personally, it has been very, very useful. While people always say theory may not be able to be translated into practicality. For me, it's quite... Different there because whatever I learned in GDI has been very useful in the progression of my career and helping me in the policy-making work that I'm doing until today. So again, the theory is very important and do pay attention when you're in the class and again, you have your friends, faculty mates, cohorts. Engage them actively and do treasure them, the cohorts, networks, the contacts that you made during your study time, because again, it's essential for your future. I'm talking from experience. I still keep in touch with my cohorts that I graduated in 2008, and we do exchange ideas and we try to find and help each other whenever we face challenges. In whatever world that we are doing. And it's not only in policymaking, like some of them are humanitarian, some of the are in disaster management. So again, the network has been very important. Do keep in touch with them. And finally, do enjoy your time while you are studying there, because again, that the year that I've been at GDI, treasure it until now. And it has been one of the most important and sweetest time of... My study period. So again, because the work environment is much more stressful in comparison to your essay writing, so do treasure it while you're there. Thank you.

Speaker 3 [00:51:14] Mila and Stephanie. Well I think there's been some great advice given already so I'll try to bring something new. I mean I think the opportunities and information that LinkedIn provides now is brilliant and that wasn't available when I was graduating. So get yourself online and see which are the good connections to have and things to follow. Attend learning forums and meetings and conferences. I also think that reading books about specific contexts that interest you, even if it's novels, has also brought a lot of insight for me. And it's something that I still do, which may not always be the most healthy because it's also good to have a break sometimes from work, which is also a piece of advice. Please be mindful of your wellbeing and show you know what's... Healthy for you what brings you happiness and brings you resilience when it really matters because this is a tough sector to work in and it requires yeah it requires a healthy individual and a healthy mind in order to do the work that we do and only you can can be in charge of that at the end of the day there's only so far that organizations can go and to provide that it's very much on the individual to take those opportunities. And take good care of themselves. I would also say maybe specialize and find a focus. I think it will be helpful when you really know what interests you and what your skills are. But at the same time, I think value the soft skills. We talked a bit about management and leadership and these are really important skills to develop and continue to develop, as well as communication styles and it's a very multicultural sector that we work in and we need to be able to communicate. Effectively across different countries, different cultures, and I think that's a really good skill to have as well. Be self-reflective, be mindful of the direction that the field where we work is going, and we're seeing a much better recognition of the work that local actors do now, rather than always international organizations being there and being present. We recognize much, much better now. The work that local actors do and we want to make the space for them and I think this is also important to bear in mind when you're entering the sector that we want we want them to take the lead when it's the better option and there are still lots of other other opportunities for people and it's about finding your space to do something positive.

Speaker 2 [00:54:00] Thank you so much, so much wisdom from the three of you collectively, and all adding a different lens on that experience of what you need. The University of Manchester has just launched its 2035 Strategy and Vision, and one of their lines are, of Manchester, for the world. And I think that's the sort of global thinking, you know, coming out of this place, the richness for the world. And the other thing that all of you touched on in some way is the importance of the network. So the knowledge is important, the self-knowledge, the theoretical knowledge, but also that network of people and looking after yourselves. So really connecting with one another while you're studying and afterwards, as you said, Shemila. So thank you very much for your time today, for sharing your insights. We're very, very appreciative. Thank you for joining us as we had the discussion on navigating difficult problems in the development sector. We saw that there were many, many concerns, many challenges, that it is an incredibly complex, difficult time, risks, the global development sector being impacted on funding challenges being impacted on withdrawal of compliance issues and accountability. A great deal of uncertainty. But we also heard people shared their journey and how things had been challenging when they started at different times. We had somebody graduating in 2009, 2018, the end of 2020, and how they've navigated their time and sharing the insights of the role that social connection played, the role that people from their studies have played years and years on into the future, and the optimism and hope to actually find a better way of doing things, to be able to realign, to potentially be optimistic about the work, and to focus on the purpose-driven areas. But in all of this, not to forget ourselves, not forget our own well-being. And also not to forget the people that we serve and their wellbeing. So we wish you well, and we need passionate, purpose-driven people who want to make a difference to development. And we look forward to engaging with you in future part.