Hey all, I’m Riyoko, born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. I’ve fallen in love with Glasgow for its incredible music scene, great architecture and kind people, and I’m beyond excited to move to Barcelona in January for the sea, food and a (welcome) change in weather

For my undergrad, I studied Arts and Sciences (BASc) at University College London, and also studied on exchange at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, Japan. BASc, like GLOCAL, is a new, interdisciplinary degree which I used to explore globalisation, business and entrepreneurship – specifically I majored in Politics, Anthropology and Science and Technology Studies, and after graduating I was torn between diving into the professional world and continuing down academia. I’m passionate about the voluntary sector, working and volunteering for non-profits during my degree – but I also have a genuine love for studying and wanted to continue exploring my academic interests in more depth through a masters.

So when I saw GLOCAL it seemed too good to be true – the perfect continuation of my undergrad, where I could apply theory to real-life processes, undertake consultancy projects and internships and also explore my academic interests in three different institutions across the world. Two months in and I can confirm GLOCAL has met and surpassed these expectations. It has been a whirlwind: academically it’s everything I love – politics, history, economics, science & tech – and socially, the diverse mix of inspired minds from all over the world is incredible to be around. I can’t wait to to see us and the programme grow over the next two years!