After graduating from the EMGS programme in September 2021, Mariama Diallo pursued a one-year postgraduate Master of Arts programme in EU external relations and European diplomacy at the College of Europe in Bruges. Currently, she is doing a Blue Book Traineeship at the European Commission – Directorate General for International Partnerships, working on migration and forced displacement.

On Saturday 3 Dec 2022, she contributed to the EMGS winter school, namely the roundtable in Antwerp meeting with the current cohort and alumni. This brought her back warm and happy memories of her winter school in Payerbach, Austria (2019).

That same week on Tuesday 29 Nov 2022, her EMGS master’s thesis entitled „The celebratory story of return and development. Returning to the fold and serve one’s country“ (2020-21) was awarded the Prize for the best Master Thesis by the Faculty of Economics, Social and Political Sciences and Communication of Saint-Louis University – Brussels, where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Political Sciences.

The prize aims to reward a thesis contributing in an original way to the advancement of knowledge in the fields related to the teaching of the Faculty. The jury noted „the quality and originality of the thesis, which is based on a field research and addresses a relevant societal issue“.

Grateful, Mariama says „I take this opportunity to express how proud I am to be an EMGS alumna. I truly believe that an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree offers a European added value to higher education, promotes intercultural understanding and enhances career prospects. I wish all the best to the current cohort and look forward to welcoming them to the EMGS Alumni Network!“