Student testimonial
Student Ayoub - MSc International Land and Water Management
“The reasons I chose the MSc programme International Land and Water Management (MIL) are that I am very interested in water management and that I want to work abroad and to be involved in international projects. Moreover, my background is mainly technical, and I wanted to dive more into the social aspects of water management. I appreciate that the MIL programme is on the boundary of the technical and the social, political and economic aspects of water management.”
“I first completed a bachelor on health, safety and environment in France - I am from Paris. Then I went for my engineering diploma. But instead of doing my specialisation in France, I am doing the MSc International Land and Water Management. At the end I will have an engineering diploma and a master’s degree.”
I got new perspectives on water management
Own combination of courses
“I really enjoyed the MIL programme in the way that professors help us with what we want to learn. Because I had rather specific ideas about what I wanted to specialize in, I chose specialization D. This allows me to make a combination of courses that suits me best. For example, I chose the course Water Quality and Quantity. We went into the field and sampled many locations, trying to assess the ditches and rivers around. I also enjoyed the course Political Ecology of Water. It gave me a new perspective on water management. Instead of looking at water from a purely technical point of view, you look at the role of the people involved, their habits, ways of working, and the ownership of water systems. I discovered how important it is to take these aspects into account.”
Irrigation practices in the Jordan Valley
“My thesis is about irrigation practices in the Jordan Valley. I have been there for more than three months, staying with farmers and farm workers. By bus I traveled from farm to farm through the valley to interview farmers. I asked questions such as: what are your water sources, do you experience any issues, for example salt issues, which irrigation system do you use, which type of crops do you have, how many water do you have, how do you apply for water, do you have any help from the governments? That way I got a picture of the irrigation and farming practices in the Jordan Valley. The data I gathered will be used for the course Water System Design for Water Use from Multiple Sources.”
Welcome in Wageningen
“After graduating I would like to stay in the Netherlands, and I hope to work for a smaller international organization connected to the Middle-East. But I would also enjoy working in education. I am currently a student assistant for a course in the MIL programme. I feel very accepted in Wageningen and within the university. It is very open minded, something that really surprised me as it differs from my experiences in France. As a Muslim, during the day I need to pray, and the fact that the university has contemplation rooms where I can go, and also noticing that this topic is no taboo, made me feel very welcome.”