Prospects Postgrad UK 2007/2008 - (Page 61) SPONSORED BY www.prospects.ac.uk/PostgradUK SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 61 MASTERING RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Whilst working for The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in Delhi, Grace Saree decided to improve her career prospects by studying an MSc in Natural Resource Management at Cranfield University. She has since returned to Delhi to take up a post as an Associate Fellow for the Institute. After my first degree in Forestry, I worked for two years at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), an autonomous not-forprofit research institute. At TERI I was associated with the Foresty/Biodiversity group, where I worked on a number of research and consultancy projects in the area of natural resource management and rural development. Since I had the work experience, I thought a postgraduate qualification would help me to sharpen my knowledge and skills in the sector and also help me to excel in my career. A WARM WELCOME I was picked up from the airport by a representative from the University and when I arrived at the campus I was welcomed by the Accommodation person in-charge. After filling in the necessary forms, I was escorted to my residence by an ex-student. Although I arrived at the University quite late, the warm welcome I received from the staff instantly made me feel at home and I knew I was going to enjoy my stay at the campus. I was offered leave without pay from TERI to pursue my course but was lucky to receive FINDING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT two scholarships; one from DFID and the I found out about further study in the UK other from Marshall Papworth Trust. I also from a colleague who had studied a had the opportunity to work at the Cranfield postgraduate course there. After talking to University campus library for a month. I him, I researched the kind of courses offered, worked approximately eight hours over the and the availability of scholarships in the UK. weekend. Studies in the UK are expensive and I also attended an education fair organised the course work is intensive too, thus it is by the British Council, during which I spoke difficult to do a course without some funding, to officials from different universities and took either a partial or full scholarship. Since I was part in an interactive seminar, which gave me a working for a very short duration, I did not feel for student life in the UK. face any problem with my course work. After short-listing the courses, I selected the PART OF THE FAMILY MSc in Natural Resource Management* at All students on my course undertook a group Cranfield University. I was attracted by the project in Yorkshire, where we carried out field University’s reputation in this area and the structure of the course. surveys for the North York Moors National Park Authority on the Glaisdale and Fylindales Moors. This project taught us the dynamics of group working and we had many opportunities for sightseeing. Also, for my thesis, I undertook fieldwork in Italy on the economics of forestry and agro forestry, so I was able to visit parts of Europe. I also joined SAFAD (Silsoe Aid for Appropriate Development) which is a charity organisation run completely by students. The lovely and serene countryside environment of Bedfordshire provided a perfect ambience for me to concentrate on my studies. But the weekend parties and occasional get together offered time to relax and make friends. At the weekends I spent time in the countryside, cycling, shopping either at Bedford or Luton; visiting friends or just watching television! The environment in my house was a multicultural one, considering that all students in the house belonged to different nationals, namely Dutch, French, British, German and Papua New Guinean. This gave me an opportunity to interact, make friends, taste new cuisines and understand the culture of people from different countries. We were all really close and it felt like we were one big family. http://www.prospects.ac.uk/PostgradUK
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