Work-based placement: George Kapatayes

George Kapatayes completed a work-based placement with the department in order to produce research for his MSc International Development dissertation.

Overall, working with the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability at the University of Edinburgh has been an invigorating experience. It not only helped me in understanding what social responsibility and sustainability (SRS) is, but it showed me how the different elements are interconnected and the need to take into consideration a holistic approach when working or/ and studying sustainability. Furthermore, it showed me how vastly diverse the word “sustainability” is and the wide range of topics and issues that you can work on, which are not mainly focused on the environment. In addition to that, the Work Based Placement (WBP) provided me with an insight on how difficult it is for universities to work on SRS and how it is not as easy as many of the public would think. Lastly, an important lesson that I have learned from my WBP is that partnerships and working with different stakeholders should not be taken for granted. It may be difficult to establish, but it is a requirement for success.

The WBP did not only impact my academic studies, it also had a profound role in helping me in discovering what career path I would like to embark on after the completion of my masters. Furthermore, it helped me on a professional level by developing my interpersonal skills. I have not had the chance to work with a staff that is as diverse as the SRS department in UoE from before. The experience has supported me to better communicate and interact with people that come from different backgrounds. I am confident that the work that have been done on the research with the SRS department will be an anchor in supporting me in finding a position where I can have an influential role in planning and implementing social responsibility and sustainability projects; for the purpose of supporting the flourishing and growth of future generations.

Read George’s report below.

SRS Policy Brief – George Kapatayes