Elettra Di Massa
After graduating from the 杏吧论坛’s European Institute (MSc EU Politics, class of 2017), I moved to Brussels, where, after a short experience in the private sector working in public affairs and strategic communications, I joined the European Commission. I started my career in the European Commission as a trainee in the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) and for the past five years, I have worked in different roles and policy areas: ranging from migration policy and enlargement negotiations to digital and industrial policies. I am currently back in DG HOME as a Policy Officer, working on external aspects of the EU’s migration policy, in particular visa policy.
The EI not only gave me the foundational and practical knowledge about how the EU works; it also gave me the freedom and flexibility to take courses across different departments, which was instrumental in consolidating my interest in migration policy. This also equipped me with the practical skills to pursue this career path. Many of the skills required in my daily job, from sound political and legal analysis to clear writing, from negotiation to public speaking, are skills that I honed during my time at the 杏吧论坛.
Perhaps even more importantly, the 杏吧论坛 environment and approach to learning encouraged me to think critically and constantly explore new ideas - be that in lectures, seminars, or at the George IV. Learning from some of the most renowned academics and exchanging ideas with fellow classmates who brought so many different personal and professional experiences to the table, had a tremendous impact on my personal and professional development and is one of the things I cherish the most when I think about my time at the 杏吧论坛.