Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Personal Statement
Global Market, Local Creativity Master Program
I am applying for the GLOCAL - Global Markets and Development pathway looking that it perfectly suits and complements both my multidisciplinary educational background and my multicultural personality as well as my interest and experience. I was born and bred in Ghana, a country well known for its rich and diverse culture. With over 50 indigenous tribes and languages, it is impossible for anyone growing up there, not to have met people outside of one's locality. Right from my very first day at school and all the way through my education, I have experienced and come to deeply appreciate the nuances that make up our communal cultures which translate into what we boast of as a beautiful national culture. Having a deep appreciation of my country, I've come to understand how intercultural coexistence and cooperation advances the cause of sustainable development. This has shaped my personal ethos to accept myself and accept others unconditionally.
I Grew up in a community where secular education was a privilege instead of a right, and I was fortunate to be among the privileged. I was brought up in a family of Muslim scholars at a time when education was predominantly religious. It was no accident that I had both formal and informal education in the Arabic language and some basic Islamic sciences at my early age while I was concurrently going through the secular education stream. I developed a strong interest in the natural sciences especially physics and chemistry, which I proceeded to study at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and I graduated with a BSc. in Industrial Chemistry.
During my period of studies at UCC, I was introduced to the field of Finance and Management when I took a Financial Management course, and when I went for an internship at the Coca-cola bottling company of Ghana, where I was assigned as an Administrative assistant to the Safety Manager. Ever since I have been more and more interested in these fields. With already having a command of the Arabic language and a good understanding of some basic Islamic sciences, I wanted to pursue a programme that amalgamates this knowledge with my analytical skills acquired from my degree. Hence, I enrolled at the University of Jordan and pursued a BA Islamic Banking and Finance degree.
Being the first person to obtain a college degree in my family, I have always sort to motivate and inspire others with underprivileged backgrounds. I joined a group of youth from my community with similar backgrounds like me to form a community based not for profit organization called Community Redemption Foundation, which seeks to promote education and social development in the Muslim and surrounding communities in Kumasi Ghana. I also served as a volunteer English instructor with the international NGO Junior Chamber International (JCI Amman), where I taught 3rd and 4th-grade kids on weekends at Gaza refugee camp in Jerash, Jordan.
My professional experience includes an internship with the Jordan Islamic Bank in Amman, teaching Physics and Chemistry at Boso Senior High School in Ghana, an internship with MP Infrastructure Ghana Limited, a Telecommunication turnkey services firm, and currently as a Business development associate with GM Ambassadors Limited a financial and investment services firm in Ghana.
I participated in several conferences and events, which include an Annual International Conference on Islamic Economics and Finance organized by the University of Jordan from 2015 to 2017, and I spoke at the Conference of International Students in Jordanian Universities. I also participated in a TechStars Start-up weekend event in Amman, as well as other related workshops.
As an avid traveller, I have had the pleasure of visiting over 20 cities in 6 different countries on 4 continents across the globe. I also have the experience of living and studying in different multicultural environments both locally and internationally. I spent a semester of exchange study abroad at Marmara University in Istanbul Turkey. I also worked this past summer as a camp counsellor for Second-grade boys at a summer day camp in New York, USA. These exposures have equipped me with a kind of multicultural and multilingual existence that help me fit in well in any place I find myself.
As a languages and culture enthusiast, I believe the GLOCAL programme provides a life-changing opportunity offered by none. I couldn't think of any better way to learn many languages and cultures as well as studying the global economy in countries with one of the largest economies in the world. Aside from my mother tongue, I currently read, write and speak in Arabic and English Languages fluently, with some basic understanding of French and Turkish Languages, and I can't wait to add the Scottish, Spanish, and the German languages to this list.
It has been my long-held desire to study in the UK, not only due to the high reputation of its education system but also because of the rich and diverse culture that it is identified with. It will be a great honour to study at the University of Glasgow, one of the oldest and most reputable universities in the UK, with centuries of teaching and research. Alongside improving my Knowledge and skills, I also hope to gain an insight into the various aspect of the Scottish culture which I have always been fascinated by.
Being a football aficionado, it will be a dream come true to live in the city of Barcelona, where I will get to see my favourite sports club FC Barcelona play in real time on a weekly basis, and also get to know the Catalan culture. Also studying at the University of Göttingen will be an awesome opportunity to have a first-hand experience of the German culture.
More importantly, the prospect of gaining advance knowledge and skills about the global economy is one thing that makes me yearn to be a part of this programme. I know I would learn so much from my stay in these countries while being a good ambassador of my home country.
After a year into the Programme and getting to know the faculty members, I believe I will have a better-formulated idea about the topic for my thesis and my potential supervisor. Seeing that it will be in the field of Financial Technologies (FinTech) and innovations.
With a lifelong passion for teaching, my focus as an undergraduate has always been with an eye towards graduate school and a career in the academia. Upon completing my masters, I aim to use the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills gained through the GLOCAL programme, in addressing some of the social and economic issues in my community through training and entrepreneurship, while I look forward to pursuing my Ph.D. and continue onto my career path.
Unlike traditional graduate school applicants, I believe my technical and analytical background in the applied sciences obtained from my previous degree will set me apart. I do not only believe I'm suitable for this programme, but I'm convinced without any doubt that GLOCAL programme possesses the quality of education and the diversity in the student body that can best help to launch me on my career path. I hope I would be given the opportunity to share my experience with other like-minded individuals. I'm willing and ready to grant an interview to tell you more about myself, and why I deserve a place in this programme.