Tiina Markkinen
Senior Adviser for Development Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
The international human rights law programme enabled me to find my own niche.
Name: Tiina Markkinen
From: Finland
Why I chose this programme: I did my first degree in international relations but later got interested in human rights. The Master’s Degree Programme in International Human Rights Law was recommended to me by a number of people with a legal background and I decided to apply after realizing that it would be possible to do this programme while working at the same time.
The studies: The programme offers a good variety of courses in various topics ranging from intensive, one-week courses to the more traditional weekly classes and web-based learning. I liked the fact that the number of participants is usually fairly limited and that the courses include various exercises and study groups which enable the students to discuss and apply the information also in practical cases and situations.
Additional comments: I would highly recommend the programme. Before starting my studies, I had had difficulties in finding interesting work in my own field but the international human rights law programme enabled me to find my own niche and soon after starting my studies, I was offered an opportunity where I could start applying my studies in practice. I have now worked in the field of international development for several years and knowing the international human rights frameworks has helped me tremendously in taking on more challenging and interesting roles over the years.