Christopher Foulkes

The freedom to select courses matching his interests drove Christopher towards studying all aspects of human migration, then working in the area with the UN.

The mix of my experiences growing up overseas, my desire to work internationally, and what I had excelled in at school—history, classics, English, and debating—made Political Science and International Relations at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington obvious choices for me.

While I completed a broad range of courses, Political Science and International Relations courses always stood out for me. Both the faculty and the subject matter offer the chance to explore ideas in a unique way. I loved the freedom I was given to select topics and perspectives that suited me and pursue them as far as I could. It was through being given this freedom that I realised my passion for understanding all aspects of human migration.

I gained three major sets of skills from my degree. First, the knowledge and specific content about international relations and political processes. The faculty gave me an excellent, broad understanding of the field but also encouraged me to specialise and become ‘expert’ in specific topics of interest, such as migration. Second, the practical skills of how to present an argument, organise my thoughts, write clearly, and study. Finally, and most importantly, the more abstract skills such as how to analyse scenarios, apply theories, and think critically.

Since graduating, each year has offered me new and exciting opportunities to use these skills. In the two years after graduating, I completed a fellowship in Hawai’i, undertook an internship in Washington, DC, and worked as a consultant with the UN in Bangkok. Since 2013 I have worked for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) – the UN Migration Agency, first in the regional office in Bangkok, then in Afghanistan (twice), Turkey, and now in Bangladesh. I am currently based in Dhaka where I head the mission support unit for IOM Bangladesh’s development portfolio. While each of my previous roles was very different, they have all required a holistic understanding of the social, political, cultural, and economic dynamics of migration. I was in Kabul in August 2021 when the Taliban retook control of the country, and from an international politics perspective that was a momentous few months to encounter first-hand—including meeting the new Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, which was quite the experience.

In between my stints in Afghanistan and Turkey I also undertook a Master’s degree in Migration Studies at the University of Oxford in the UK. I found my academic background was a perfect basis for what was a hugely interdisciplinary course and served me well in one of the toughest academic environments in the world.