Meeting SAISers in Vietnam

One of the things that sets SAIS apart is the close-knit community students become part of when they start their SAIS studies. In the post below, Ben West, an alumnus from the U.S., tell us about the SAIS network in action. 

I am a recent SAIS graduate and earlier this spring I moved to Vietnam’s capital Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).  After only ten days in my new home, I experienced first-hand the power and reach of the SAIS network.

I made contact with the head of the SAIS alumni network in the city, Chuong Tran (DC ’86) who invited me to take a tour of a new development project just north of town. SAIS economics professor and resident Vietnam expert, Jim Riedel, was in town and came along on the tour. Coincidentally, I met a future bolognese, Sarah Piccini, who is currently living in Ho Chi Minh City.

Just like that, the four of us, representing the faculty and three different classes of SAIS came together for a day of “economic tourism” in southern Vietnam.

From Left: Sarah Piccini (BC ’16), Ben West (BC/DC’15), 

Prof. Jim Riedel and Chuong Tran (DC ’86)

The four of us, plus other associates of Chuong, went to Binh Duong province, about a 45-minute drive north of Ho Chi Minh City. The provincial government there is pushing development hard (click here to see a video) and is trying to attract people to the area.

Despite all of its hard work, it was obvious that the area was having trouble attracting residents and I suppose they hoped that we would buy some apartment blocks or something.

During a meeting with some of the developers, Professor Riedel highlighted the fact that the development was completely government funded. Later, over lunch, we discussed the shortfalls of relying too heavily on central coordination for development projects; without outside investors, there was no guarantee that there would be demand for the new residential and commercial properties. The government had provided ample supply, but the demand was lacking. All those pages of supply and demand curves during my years at SAIS came flying at me as we walked through a shopping mall full of stuff but without customers; or as we passed million dollar villas surrounded by empty lots.

 Tran and Riedel at the impressive Binh Duong City Hall

Running in the background of all this, of course, was the fact that it was bringing together us four SAISers: past, present and future. It was great for me to get acquainted with people in my new home (as well as get to see some areas off the beaten path) and I think it helped Sarah, the future SAISer, get an idea of what it meant to be joining this new community before she starts this fall. 

I had seen the SAIS network in action in Bologna and DC, and this certainly isn’t the first time that it’s helped me, but this past month, I felt the huge geographic reach of the SAIS alumni network. 

So, for all of you out there who have already been accepted or are thinking about applying to SAIS, whether in Bologna or DC, look up your local SAIS alumni chapter and go see what they’re up to. You might find yourself off an adventure before you even step foot in the classroom. 

Ben West

BC14/DC15

What will SAIS Europe students do over the summer?

The academic year at SAIS Europe ended last week. Today, students who are completing their studies at SAIS in DC will be attending the graduation ceremony and are about to put their SAIS studies behind them.

Time flies, or so the saying goes; but each year when graduation arrives, we realize that as far as the academic year at SAIS goes - this is not just a saying.

Every year we welcome students in August and wave goodbye to them in May. Saying goodbye is not easy, but we find comfort in the fact that when our students leave us, it will be to embark upon an exciting and rewarding summer followed by another challenging and enriching academic year in DC.

So where will SAIS Europe students be this summer? Fortunately, there is no single answer to this
question. To give you a sense of the diversity of locations and activities, below is a video in which several students tell us what they will be doing over the next few months.

The vast majority of students use the summer vacation to work an internship. These internships take them to various parts of the world. In the video, you'll hear from students going to Indonesia, Peru, Tanzania, UK, France, Belgium, the U.S. and many other places.

The fields in which they’ll be gaining experience are extremely diverse, ranging from renewable energy to corporate responsibility, and from political and economic risk assessment to investment consulting.

Some students use the summer to strengthen their language skills –they know that a very good way to learn a language is to spend time in a country where that language is spoken. In spending the summer abroad, students get the opportunity to learn about a new culture as well as to use the language on a daily basis.

Click on the video below to hear for yourself what exciting things await our students.

If you are reading this post on email, you can see the video here.

Amina Abdiuahab

SAIS revolutionized my way of thinking

The academic year at SAIS Europe will end tomorrow, May 15. Students have been busy doing exams and writing papers before they take off for their summer internships and travel. Below, Carlotta Munini, a first year student from Italy, tells us about her experience at SAIS Europe. 


I started my M.A. degree at SAIS Europe only nine months ago and I would have never thought that my brief time here would have had such a lasting impact on me. As an Italian national and recent college graduate, I wanted to pursue graduate studies at a top ranked academic institution in International Relations.

Today, as I conclude my first year of study in Bologna, I realized that my year at SAIS not only deepened my conceptual understanding of world affairs, but, more importantly, as a life changing
experience, it broadened my global perspective.

I came to SAIS with a degree in Finance and a “Business School” way of thinking.  I initially believed that knowledge of the world could only be acquired from reading Economics textbooks or by solving a mathematical formula. SAIS revolutionized my way of thinking.

While a student in class, I became blown away by how my professors transmitted their passion for the subjects they teach. From them, I learned how important it is to debate issues, to be curious and above all, to question. My combined courses in Energy, American Foreign Policy and Risk illustrated the interconnectedness of today’s world and how important it is to develop an understanding of the “global picture”. (This was quite a learning curve for me, as I was previously used to books filled with numbers!)

Learning about the Cold War’s containment strategies, financing biomass plants and risk in political economies was a day-by-day discovery process for me. Upon reflection, as I attended my last classes at SAIS Europe , I can finally say with confidence that I am better able to interpret and understand world issues and the complexities that lie beneath the surface.

When I began my studies at SAIS, as was one of the younger students, I felt quite intimated by my peers. (With an average class age of 26, the majority of my classmates had CVs with interesting professional experiences.)

As a professional school, SAIS gave me the needed support, coveted advice and provided me with an extensive alumni network to prepare me for the job market. Following an intensive interview process with 15 employers, I was offered two great internships. I chose to spend this summer in London working for a risk advisory firm. Landing this internship was proof that I am now ready to apply theory to practice in the work place.

Final exams have arrived and we are all preparing for our fall transition to Washington DC. As I say goodbye (or arrivederci) to Bologna, I look forward to continuing my journey on the other side of the Atlantic next fall.

Carlotta Munini
(SAIS Europe '15)

Admissions: Open Houses and SAIS Europe's new video

This month, students admitted to SAIS will have a chance to get to know the program up close. SAIS in Bologna and in DC will open their doors to admitted students for the Open House events.

On April 8, we will welcome admitted students at our campus in DC. In addition to the Open House, students admitted to SAIS Europe are invited to attend a cocktail reception with SAIS Europe Director Michael Plummer and Alumni on April 9.

The Open House in Bologna will be on April 13.

Why attend these events?

These events are a great way to get more information on the program and what it offers. We know how important choosing graduate school is and we encourage all those who live close to either of our campuses, to come visit us.

During the day-long events, students will have the opportunity to meet faculty, students and staff. There will be faculty panels as well as panels on student and career services. What’s more, visitors

will have the chance to experience first-hand SAIS’s academic excellence.

Below are the links to register:

- Open House and Cocktail reception in DC
- Open House in Bologna

We know many of our future students live far from our campuses and may not be able to travel long distances. Please know that we stand ready to answer your questions via email (sais.eu.admissions@jhu.edu), the phone (+39 051 29 17 811) or Skype (jhubc.admissions).

What’s more we want to share this new video on SAIS Europe. Enjoy!

Daniela Coleman

Admission to SAIS: Words to Think About as Decisions Are Released Today

Friday, March 13 is an important moment for applicants to SAIS as acceptance letters will be emailed out later today.

For some of you, after months of preparation, interviewing and waiting, it will provide a joyous moment. For others, it may be a moment of disappointment.

I wanted to address both applicant pools for different reasons.

As many of you know, entrance into SAIS is quite competitive, as we can only accommodate a limited number of students each year. The applications we receive always exceed the number of places available. This year the competition was fierce for available spots. The Admissions Committee work is arduous  and challenging.

As every candidate managed by SAIS Europe is interviewed, your application becomes a personal
contact for our committee – we learn about your professional and academic paths, we hear your dreams and goals and we understand why entrance into SAIS is of utmost importance to you. Every candidate is unique and we feel privileged to meet you.

For this reason, I first speak to those who may have been denied a place in our program: this by no means is a reflection of your potential. Quite the contrary: we want to offer you these words: do not be discouraged, as applicants often reapply once they are able to strengthen their application and meet our requirements for admission. Use this time of reflection as a learning process. We remain a resource for you and will be available to address your concerns on how to improve your application for next year, should you reapply.

For those that have been accepted, the admissions committee was convinced by the strength of your application. You will join a class of peers  who will not only come to SAIS to learn from faculty, but to learn from each other. Our hope is that you use the knowledge acquired combined with your ambition to make the world you live in better for future generations. You are our future leaders. Be prepared to learn, to work hard, but most of all, to make lasting friendships that will change your life.
The real journey is about to begin.

Daniela Coleman

SAIS Europe celebrates its 60th Anniversary

SAIS Europe, formerly known as The Bologna Center, celebrated its 60th anniversary on February 22, 2015.  

To commemorate the event, keynote guest speaker Pier Carlo Padoan, Italian Economy and Finance Minister, was in attendance. SAIS Europe Director Michael Plummer welcomed guests and provided remarks on the history of SAIS in Bologna and its strong link with the City, which has hosted the institution for six decades. 

Minister Padoan (right) and Director Plummer

SAIS's campus in Bologna was founded in 1955 by C. Grove Haines, who believed there was a need to set up a school of international affairs where young European and American scholars could learn from one another and work together to reach common international goals. As an intellectual hub of Italy, Bologna was the perfect location for SAIS to establish its European presence.

Sixty years later, SAIS Europe welcomes students from over 35 different countries each year with a common: to train the leaders of tomorrow to study international affairs, history, economics and languages.

During his remarks, Minister Padoan commented positively on the European Commission’s agreement to extend Greece's financial rescue package by four months.  He also emphasized the need for reforms both at the Italian and the European levels. 

Minister Padoan also used this platform to announce Italy and Switzerland’s recent agreement to exchange tax-relevant information as part of wider negotiations on contentious financial issues between the two countries.

The well attended event brought together students, alumni, faculty as well as prominent members of the city; Bologna Mayor, Virginio Merola, the Rector and Vice Rector of the University of Bologna and many others.

Amina Abdiuahab

At the end of the year....I was indeed transformed

As the admissions cycle moves forward, we thought we would share a post from an alumna. Amal Ali, from the UK, was at SAIS Europe in 2011 and received her Master of Arts at our campus in DC in 2013. 

Below she tells us about her experience while at SAIS .


When I was a prospective SAIS student, I remember reading numerous blog posts authored by former students that all started with that fateful sweltering August day.  My story won’t veer from this beginning.

Amal Ali

I arrived in Bologna August 21st 2011. The city was in a deep slumber as most of its inhabitants had left the sticky August month for the cooler air of the coast. I was 22, passionate about international affairs, and rather keen to get my teeth stuck into economics.

I suppose I hadn't prepared myself for all that I was to experience in those months. SAIS Bologna –like for others—was a year of new for me. I had never studied international relations or economics, it was the first time that I had properly left the UK, and God knows that I hadn't looked at algebra since high school.

During that year, I felt that I was learning something new each day: be it personal, academic or both. At the end of the year, I felt like—whilst holding to the same moral values that had shaped me—I was indeed transformed. I take those 10 months as a lesson in life: nothing significant ever occurs when you’re comfortable or complacent, but it is fearlessly (or fearfully) plunging yourself into new and challenging environments that you truly flourish.

Whilst this might seem like a romantic tale about growth, be assured that there were some troughs in my peaks. My shameful midterm results in Microeconomics can attest to that. But I did pass the course, and I believe that if I can get through it—everyone can do it too. Resilience and perseverance were certainly key in that endeavor.

In fact, I believe that it was the skills and experiences that I picked up in those two years—multitasking, embracing some elements of failure, working under pressure, coming up with solutions, thinking out of the box, and taking each challenge head-on—that allowed me to land my first job at a reputable international corporate communications consultancy in London. And thereafter  my current role at the World Bank.

Another great perk I’ve found is that the SAIS world never quiet leaves you: personally or professionally. My closest friends are SAISers (in fact I had them round for supper last night, and we couldn’t stop laughing about our Bologna stories). A SAISer hired me for my current role, and every once in a while I bump into a SAISer or two at the airport, or at my Monday morning meetings.

I suppose I didn’t know what I would find when I arrived in Bologna that August afternoon, but boy I am glad to have been gifted with those two years.

Amal Ali

BC12/DC13