Brussels Staff Profiles

Ali Aliyev is a graduate of the MA International Relations programme and currently works for BP in Azerbaijan.

From 2003 to 2011 he was a Stakeholder Engagement Analyst before becoming an External Affairs Adviser in January 2011. In June 2012 he moved to his present position as a Social Team Leader for BP. As such he leads activities in relation to the implementation and compliance with social commitments and manages community liaison activities that serve to the benefit of the Export Operations in Azerbaijan.

What do you think were the key attributes of BSIS when you were there?
Certainly the quality of the academics and the diverse group of students were significant contributors. BSIS brings together fresh minded young leaders from different locations and it creates an excellent opportunity to exchange views while deepening one’s knowledge.

Do you think that your studies at BSIS helped you secure your current post?
Absolutely! Studying abroad is not just about learning technical skills but also an excellent chance to bring expertise to my country.

Do you think that BSIS is a good place to study international studies and if so why?
BSIS’s location is the right place to explore international studies and meeting well known experts at EU institutions, leading think-tanks and international organizations. During my time at BSIS I worked for the British Chamber of Commerce in Brussels as well as in the Energy Charter Secretariat.

Have you been able to put what you learned at BSIS to use and if so when?
The combination of my work and BSIS experience have definitely prepared me well for this type of work. What I learned at BSIS has added value to my credentials and I feel today more confident when delivering objectives, initiating projects and most importantly making decisions.

I would definitely recommend the BSIS to those who are enthusiastic to learn in a cross-cultural and multidisciplinary environment.

Courtney Zaugg was awarded the MA in International Political Economy in November 2009 and is now Economic Development Specialist for the City of Noblesville with the responsibility for business attraction, retention and expansion, as well as workforce analysis and brownfield site development.

Before this worked for Conexus Indiana where she was Director, Industry Research – Automotive and Aerospace/Defense Initiatives. She has also worked for Develop Indy, where she was Director of International Economic Development, as well as the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

When she was working for Develop Indy, the economic development agency for the City of Indianapolis, we asked her the following questions.

Do you think that your studies at BSIS helped you secure your current post?
Absolutely. Being a tier-two Midwestern city, Indianapolis must pay special attention to the politics that affect trade deals, especially during the economic downtown the last couple of years. BSIS equipped me with the tools necessary to help foster economic growth through foreign investment for my hometown.

What do you think were the key attributes of BSIS when you were here?
The sincere and in-depth engagement of all of the staff and faculty was amazing. Coupled with the location and engagement with other academic and political institutions, it enables its students for success.

Would you recommend BSIS to potential students and if so, what would you tell them?
Without a doubt. I already have and will continue to do so! BSIS provides a generous foundation that empowers its students to become effective practitioners.

Kirraley Bowles undertook an LLM in International Law with International Relations in 2007, graduated with a Distinction and now works in the President’s Office at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Before this she worked in the Immediate Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

While working on her dissertation at BSIS, Kirraley undertook a five month internship in the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICTY. In an ‘Australian Lawyers Weekly’ article written by Alice Ramsay, Kirraley said: ‘To translate studies into a career in this area, an internship is essential. I would almost go so far as saying, a prerequisite. The internship made it clear to me that international criminal law was the area I wanted to work in. When you work for free for five months and can’t wait to get to the office each day, it is a clear indication that you are in the right field. I wasn’t working for money or status, but for the right reasons and that was transformative.’

For Kirraley her postgraduate degree at BSIS ‘was instrumental in helping to secure both [her] internship and [her] current role at the ICTY. ‘BSIS gave me the academic grounding I required in order to move into the competitive field of international criminal law. I would go so far as to say that my postgraduate studies were the key to my successful career transition (from private legal practice to the public sector).’

When talking about her time at BSIS Kirraley is characteristically enthusiastic. ‘The school offers a wide array of subjects that are directly relevant to those interested in international affairs, and which set the foundation for a future career on the international plane. Importantly, BSIS’s staff members are knowledgeable, encouraging and committed to their students. They responded with professionalism, patience and genuine warmth to all my queries – be they related to my studies, or simply the practical aspects of settling into Brussels.’

‘I would not hesitate to recommend BSIS to prospective students. To study fascinating subjects with peers from all parts of the world is in itself extraordinary. But to do this whilst discovering a new city with your new friends makes the BSIS experience even more special.’

Agnes King read for a Masters in Political Strategy and Communication at BSIS.  She is currently Director of Operations, Europe for the World Youth Alliance having previously worked in the office of an Irish MEP at the European Parliament and at the European Centre for Law and Justice in Strasbourg, France.

Anthony Deos read for an MA in International Political Economy at BSIS as well as serving a president of the student governing body, the Junior Common Room. He is currently reading for a PhD at the University of Otago in New Zealand where his research is focused on the use of social media in public diplomacy. Whilst at BSIS he undertook an internship with the think tank The Centre and worked as an Account Executive at Weber Shandwick.

What do you think were the key attributes of BSIS when you were here?

The key attributes that set BSIS apart were its student body diversity, the faculty and staff’s devotion to developing strong relationships with the student body and BSIS’ location in Brussels, which facilitated opportunities to engage in practical experience and build a network among leading professionals and political leaders.

Do you think that your studies at BSIS helped you secure your current post?

My experiences since graduating from BSIS have certainly been enhanced by my studies at BSIS. The skills I acquired and the knowledge I gained have helped me successfully secure a position at a Fortune 500 company following graduation, and, most recently, in beginning my PhD.

Have you been able to put what you learned at BSIS to use and if so when?

Currently I am completing my PhD research at the University of Otago, New Zealand – a task for which BSIS helped prepare me. Likewise, my topic is focused on the use of social media in public diplomacy, a topic that grew from my MA studies and thesis research. Therefore, it would be far to say that I use what I learned at BSIS everyday.

Would you recommend BSIS to potential students and if so what would you tell them?

I would definitely recommend BSIS to potential students. Of course, each student owns his or her education and it is what they make of it, but BSIS gives each student all possible opportunities and tools for future success. Get involved and take advantage of every opportunity offered.

Shawn Tenbrink graduated from BSIS with an LLM in International Economic Law where he was also president of the student governing body, the Junior Common Room.  In 2010 he joined the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Service Officer and served as a political officer in Damascus, Syria, until operations were suspended.  He currently works as an economic officer in the US Embassy in Beirut.

“BSIS was a great experience and it offered me the opportunity to study under a great group of professors. I also had great classmates, which helped broaden my horizons and fostered an excellent learning environment. It was also great living in the heart of Europe and being able to travel and work.”

“My experience at BSIS prepared me for many things and it helped me gain the knowledge and experience necessary in order for me to get into my current position. The skills and awareness that I gained during my time at BSIS have served me well since graduation.”

“I have and would recommend BSIS to people looking to get a graduate degree. BSIS can offer you many things and it will give back just as much as you are willing to put in.”

Sheena McLoughlin is currently the Programme Manager at the European Programme on Integration and Migration (EPIM). She previously worked as a Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre (EPC), a Brussels-based independent think tank, where her work involved monitoring and analysing EU migration and asylum policies, as well as organising events on issues related to migration. She has also worked as one of the experts involved in the Independent Network of Labour Migration and Integration Experts (LINET), an initiative coordinated by the International Organisation for Migration on behalf of the European Commission.

As an Irish national, the subject of migration, or rather ’emigration’, had always fascinated Sheena McLoughlin and having completed her undergraduate degree in European Studies at Trinity College Dublin and worked for 3 years in both the private and public sectors, she decided to read for an MA in Migration Studies at BSIS.

For Sheena her time at BSIS was wholly positive and very rewarding. “I had the opportunity to gain more in-depth knowledge in my area of interest – migration – thanks to an engaged teaching staff and very enthusiastic fellow students. The small class sizes made for lively discussions, many of which I remember fondly.”

“The proximity of the school to EU and other international institutions meant that I was able to familiarise myself with the main actors in the migration debate by attending public meetings and I was also involved in a student initiative whereby a group of Migration Studies masters students contacted NGOs and organised meetings with their employees in order to learn more about particular subject matters and their work.”

“The contacts that I made during my time at BSIS helped me secure a job in a leading EU think tank following my graduation. I wholeheartedly recommend BSIS as a great place to study international studies and in particular migration.”

Julian Flamand read for an LLM in International Law with International Relations at BSIS whilst undertaking a traineeship at the EU Commission’s DG for Information Society and Media and working at the Institute of European Studies (IES/VUB).

He is currently a Policy Fellow at the Future of Privacy Forum, a Washington DC based think tank and privacy advocate, where he works on a variety of privacy issues with a focus on United States and European Union privacy policy approaches.

He will soon be working in the Privacy and Information Management Practice at Hogan Lovells, one of the leading international law firms working on privacy issues.

“I began my work in privacy at Kent, where I produced a dissertation comparing the EU and US approaches to privacy/data protection. My study of these issues from an “international perspective” at BSIS is what allowed me to pursue a traineeship in the EU Commission’s DG for Information Society and Media, as well as come to the US to continue building my career. I am now leading the Future of Privacy Forum’s Global (and mainly EU) effort.”

Daniel Trup was awarded an LLM in International Law with International Relations with Distinction in 2005 and is now working with the United Nations Office of Administration of Justice in Nairobi, Kenya as Legal Counsel.  Previously he had served with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) investigating human rights violations committed whilst Kosovo was under UN administration.  Before that he worked in the Special Prosecutor’s Office at EULEX, the EU Rule of Law Mission, and in the Special Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

Have you been able to put what you learned at BSIS to use?

“Almost certainly. My main focus of my studies was in International Law. As a consequence this assisted me greatly in obtaining my first position as legal officer in the War Crimes unit of the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. My knowledge gained in the International Criminal Law course enabled me to understand the legal context by which I investigated war crimes, interviewed witnesses and then finally drafted the indictment.”

“My second role as Legal Expert in the Special Prosecutors Office of Kosovo dealt with Organized and Financial Crime was also assisted by my studies at BSIS. This time because I was able to demonstrate a wider knowledge of International Law within the context of the fight against organised crime.”

Do you think that BSIS is a good place to study international studies and if so why?

“There are a number of reasons why such a school offers an excellent place to develop a sound academic knowledge which can be later used in gaining excellent professional experience:

1. The teaching staff were great. They were excellent lecturers and advisors and certainly provided me with knowledge that guided me in my future employment;
2. The resources available both at the school and in the nearby university proved excellent tools for my studies and my skills in academic research were significantly enhanced by the opportunity it afforded me.
3. The school, being in Brussels, allowed me to interact with many international and regional organizations. Having an understanding of how they worked and in many instances didn’t work proved to be immensely rewarding to my career development.”

Would you recommend BSIS to potential students and if so what would you tell them?

“Employers often look for candidates that can demonstrate excellent academic credentials together with experience of working in a particular field. No more so than in international employment. Studying in Brussels allows for the chance to obtain work experience in a chosen field and combine this with studying. BSIS provides this opportunity. Not in that it will give you employment just that its excellent academic work and its links to International Organizations through its guest speaker program allows for these connections to be made and opportunities to be forged.”