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Cristina Giner Leal, IBEI alumni 2010-11

Name and Last Name: Cristina Giner Leal

Nationality: Spanish

Master studied at IBEI: Master's in International Relations

Class: 2010-11

Current working company, position and city: Senior reporter, EuroNews, World

LinkedIn

1. Why did you choose IBEI Master’s?

I thought IBEI’s MA was a very comprehensive master programme. The fact that professors came from the best universities in Barcelona made me take the final decision. 

2. What is your experience at IBEI? 

It was a very enriching experience. Not only on the academic side, which it undoubtedly was very valuable to my career, but also on the human-side. I felt we built quality relationships between students and also with professors. They were closely involved in our academic experience.

3. Describe your career path since graduating from the IBEI

I already had professional experience prior to MA. Thanks to IBEI’s MA, I made an internship as research assistant at CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Relations). I worked at the GRITTIM a Research Group from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Then I worked as Press Officer for the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in Barcelona. I finally got back to the media world. Now, I work as reporter for EuroNews and other international media.

4. How did the master programme prepare you for the work you're doing now?

When I worked as an international journalist at EuroNews newsroom I felt I was lacking an academic framework that would allow me to better analyse and understand the “reality”. IBEI’s MA gave me the academic background that I was lacking. It also gave me the opportunity to reach jobs that I could not have accessed.

5. Is this more or less what you pictured yourself doing after the master programme?

Yes, after studying the master programme I thought I’d like to work for international agencies or NGO’s communication & press departments. And I did for several years but then I realized I enjoy journalism too much. Now I’m working in what I always dreamt of. I have been Euronews correspondent in Barcelona for several years. Now I’m producer and presenter for the European channel.

6. What advice would you give to current students who want to follow this career path? / Some advice to future IBEI students?

I would encourage them to take advantage of any internship’s opportunities; one job leads you to the next. I would also encourage them to take the time to meet their colleagues and exchange with them. IBEI’s friends are very important on the human-side but also on the professional-side. It’s very enriching to have students from many careers path and backgrounds: economy, politics, trade, etc. You might find them again in any job or in any travel! We, journalists, know that relationships are one of the most important things in our job…

7. What do you miss most about IBEI? 

Well, probably exchanging, working and discussing with my colleagues; students coming from many different countries and from so many careers path and backgrounds. It always brings new ideas and new ways to understand the World.