personal statement on international development

International Development Personal Statement (Ultimate Guide)

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When applying for a university degree or a job in international development, your personal statement is one of the most important parts of the application.

Your personal statement gives you a chance to explain your reasons for wanting to work in or study international development, and so getting it right can be crucial to progressing in your development career. With that said, what are the key things to include in an international development personal statement?

A personal statement for an international development job or course should show why you want to work in development, that you have the skills the sector needs and that you’re aware of the major trends in international development. You also should include previous work experience and study, and show your interest in current global events.

But with university degrees and international development job applications giving only limited space for your personal statement, how best are you to a personal statement for the strongest application possible?

Show Why You Want to Work in International Development

Whether for an application for a university degree in international development, or for a job in the humanitarian and development sector, your personal statement needs to highlight why you are motivated to work assisting people affected by poverty, war and disasters.

Ensure your motivations for wanting to study or work in international development are personal to you, and are made clear in your statement.

Reflect on genuine experiences and your own thoughts around how international development can improve the world for the most vulnerable. Focus on why these motivate you to work in international in your personal statement.

As well as making clear your personal motivations for wanting to study or work in international development in your personal statement, is it also important to highlight your longer-term career aims. Demonstrate your immediate, mid-term and eventual international development career goals in your personal statement.

Focus on broad international development areas, as well as macro issues that specifically interest you, such as humanitarian aid, development, the environment or global health. Your international development personal statement should show your commitment to long-term study or work in the development and humanitarian industries.

Alongside showing your motivation and career goals for international development, your personal statement needs to be focused on specific jobs, functions and areas of international development that interest you.

Where-as before you detailed the broad areas of international development you are interested in, your personal statement also needs to include details.

Although you can list specific international development roles or further study you are aiming for, your personal statement can explain how functions such as ‘humanitarian logistics’, ‘renewable energy research’ or ‘community development’ are you aims.

By including specifics goals in your personal statement, it shows your knowledge of the of the international development industry as well as why the course or job you are applying for will help you get there.

International Development Online Courses

If you are looking to study or work in international development, taking an online short course can be a great way to boost your application. We highly recommend the course Management of International Development: Towards Agenda 2030 . It looks at the current international development model as well as the trends that will be key to global development in the near future. Follow the link to the course’s page for more information.

We also think the online course Sustainable Development in the 21st Century by Yonsei University to be one of the best for those interested in international development. Delivered by former UN Secretary General Ban-ki Moon, the online course would be a great addition to the personal statement of anyone looking to study or work in international development. The link is to the course’s page.

If you are interested in the practical methods used on international development projects, we recommend the online course How To Design & Fund International Development NGO Projects. The course teaches students the tools needed to establish and run impactful development projects. Click the link to visit the course’s page for more information.

Demonstrate You Have the Skills for International Development

International development is a competitive industry. When applying for jobs or study, it is important your personal statement shows you have the skills required for international development work.

There are several crucial skills relevant to international development that your personal statement should demonstrate and the first is being able to face challenges. Jobs and research in international development often require working in difficult and remote locations abroad for extended periods of time, whilst solving complex local, and global, issues.

Be sure to demonstrate how you have overcome challenges in your personal statement for international development.

Another key skill needed in the international development industry you should show through your personal statement is being organised. As with showing how you overcome challenges, be sure to give good examples of times where you have used personal organisation and team work to achieve aims in your personal statement.

Ideally, make the examples as relevant to international development work as possible, and avoid simply stating you have good organisation skills – detail a time you used those skills to achieve a result. You can include a number of short anecdotes in your international development personal statement to show you have the skills the industry needs.

Problem solving is also a very important skill to have when working in or conducting research for international development.

Your personal statement for international development courses or jobs should explore how you have overcome problems by giving strong examples. As before, the example of your problem-solving skills in your personal statement should be as closely related to international development as possible.

However, if you are applying for a bachelor’s degree and/or don’t have any experience, highlight that you know problem solving and other skills are needed in international development and then demonstrate your skills through a different example. Doing this also helps your personal statement to show you have a good understanding of skills needed in the international development industry. 

The final skill you should show in your international development personal statement is working with people from other cultures and backgrounds.

International development work and university courses are made up of people from all over the world. It is important to show in your personal statement that you can work well with different people. Make sure you highlight you understand this is a key part of international development work in your personal statement through actual examples and demonstrate times you have worked in a multi-cultural team taking ideas from many different world views.

Show an Understanding of International Development

When writing a personal statement for an international development job or university degree, it is important to show that you have researched and have a good understanding of the industry.

Firstly, your personal statement should demonstrate you know the current big trends in international development. Make sure you are following some major international development organisations and reading some of the latest books and articles.

By including reference to the current international development trends that are relevant to your area of interest in your personal statement you are showing you understand the international development industry.

As well as including reference to some the major longer-term trends in international development in your personal statement, it is also important to reference important current events relevant to aid and development.

Global events have a major impact on international development work and it is important your personal statement explains how you see these events affect the industry and your choice of work or study. Exploring current events and their impact on international development in your personal statement is a good way to show your understanding the development industry.

Another good way to show that you understand international development work in your personal statement is to include reference to the major organisations, donors and key figures in the development industry. Link this to the specific job or course you are applying for, but including details of relevant actors in the development industry is a good way to show your international development knowledge in your personal statement.

Ensure you have done thorough research on the organisation, course and high-level staff where you are applying for and include this in your international development personal statement.

A final area of skills it is important to demonstrate when writing a personal statement for international development work or study is computer skills. Like all modern industries, international development professionals need to be skilled in using programmes such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Access.

Be sure to clearly state your computer competencies in your international development personal statement.  If you have additional tech or computer skills, include these too, as international development work and courses can use a wide range of technologies.

Detail Your Relevant International Development Experiences

Your personal statement for an international development job or university degree should highlight the relevant experiences you have completed related to the development industry. There are several ways your personal statement can this.

Firstly, include any international development work experience you have. This can be previous international development jobs or internships if you have completed them. If not, include relevant jobs as way to demonstrate the key skills relevant to the international development industry as discussed above.

As well as detailing any professional international development or related work experience you have in your personal statement, it is good to include volunteering experience related to international development.

Many people interested in a career in the development sector complete short-term volunteer trips around the world to gain experience. However, be sure to volunteer with a reputable volunteer agency and do your research.

Although international development volunteering can be good on your personal statement, the development industry is turning away from ‘volutourism’.

Another important aspect to include in your international development personal statement is any volunteering you have done locally. Don’t feel that you need to volunteer abroad to get relevant international development experience.

Actually, volunteering locally, especially with groups working with refugees and migrants in your home community can, be really beneficial for your international development personal statement. Be sure to also include any volunteering you have done even if it is not directly related to international development, as this can also show a lot of the attitudes and skilled needed for development work.

Connect Your Previous Study to International Development

If you’re applying for a degree or job in international development and writing a personal statement, you should include details of your previous studies.

Firstly, include any previous university courses you have done in your personal statement. Including university degrees in your personal statement can show your dedication to working or further study in the development field, as well as your ability to apply yourself to rigorous research.

Ideally your previous study was relevant to international development. If not, still include them, as they show your level of academic qualifications.

Another good area of previous study to include in your personal statement for international development is any short or online courses you have completed.

There are a large number of development organisations providing quality courses in a wide range of development fields and taking these is a great way to gain a strong understanding of international development. Taking online and short courses to include in your personal statement also shows your dedication to development work. Including online and short courses in your personal statement can be especially good if your previous university degree was not in a subject related to international development.

When including your studies in your personal statement, it is important to show what you have learnt and how it applies to international development.

Avoid simply listing qualifications and short courses. Rather, describe how these have informed your understanding of international development in your personal statement.

It is also good to show how your studies have encouraged you to work in international development, as well as how they have influenced your choices of specific development areas. Your personal statement could also include how your studies have changed your view of development work and international development issues.

Engage with World Events and International Development

International development work, study and research is highly influenced by current world events.

When writing a personal statement for international development, be sure to convey your knowledge and understanding of what is happening globally. Showing you are engaged with the world is crucial to international development so your personal statement needs to demonstrate this.

It is also important your personal statement links current events directly to international development work. It can be good to show in your personal statement how world events have influenced your choice to work in or study international development.

Another good way to show your understanding of the world and engagement in international development in your personal statement is including your travels.

Although you should include any volunteer trips, it can also be beneficial to include personal trips you have made in your statement. Crucially, link these to development work and explain how they have influenced your understanding of the world and global development.

You do not need to have travelled to developing countries, including your own explorations and how they have influenced your thinking around development can demonstrate an engagement with the world in your personal statement.

A good point to ensure is included in your international development personal statement is your engagement with news media and journalism. As it is important to show your understanding of current world events in your international development personal statement, so ensure you include how and where you learn about world events.

Convey that digesting news and keeping informed of events, especially is areas of the world less covered by mainstream media, is important to you. This can be important in a personal statement for international development.

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How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters (17 PDF Sample Examples)

Published: 14 Mar 2022 Study Abroad 107,341 views

A personal statement for masters program is one of the most important parts of your college application and writing a good one is what’s the exception between receiving an offer and being rejected.

If you’ve been tasked with presenting a personal statement, you should keep in mind that whatever you submit must put you forward as the right candidate for the course. Additionally, it should convince the admissions officers that you deserve a place on your program of study.

Achieving the above, is a skill most postgraduate students are yet to acquire but thankfully this article on How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters covers everything you need to know on doing this.

In this article you’ll learn:

• What is a personal statement?
• Tips for making your personal statement for masters stand out
• How to write a personal statement for masters
• Personal statement for masters sample
• Examples of personal statement for masters
• Conclusion – things to avoid when writing a personal statement for masters

Read:  Admission Interview Tips .

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement AKA admissions or application essay or statement of purpose is a type of essay or written statement a candidate presents to a college, university, or graduate school they are applying to, explaining why they want to attend that school, study a particular course, and why they would be a perfect fit for these things.

A personal statement for masters is an essay you submit specifically for your postgraduate application. Writing one presents the opportunity for you to promote yourself to a school and show the admissions teachers that you are the perfect candidate for a course.

Tips For Making Your Personal Statement For Masters Stand Out

Before we get into how you should write a statement of purpose for masters, we would first like to share with you certain tips to include in your essay to make it stand out from that of other applicants and be convincing enough to any admissions officer that reads it. The tips we have mentioned here, cover general things like starting and ending your personal statement, timing, length, and what to include and what not to include in the essay, etc.

1. Starting And Ending A Personal Statement

When starting a personal statement, you would want to right off the bat grab the reader’s attention. To do this, start the statement by writing about your degree of choice, next why you want to study it and then how you got interested in it.

The next 2 sentences after that should cover a summary of your background in the chosen field, and you conclude by saying what you plan to do once you acquire your graduate degree.

Also start with that the evaluators reading want to hear first, then every other information should come second. You will notice we’ve used in the sop examples for masters we will share with you later in this article.

2. Plan Ahead

A personal statement is not something you rush while writing, which means if you want to get something good before you application then you must start to decide things like the length and how long it should take to complete.

Let us throw more light on this…

For length, a personal statement should be brief ranging somewhere between 500 -700 words, although schools often detect how long it should be. So, this is dependent on the institution you are applying to.

In terms of what to say in a statement, you could include personal experiences like why you were driven to apply for the program, an experience you had with a scholar in your chosen discipline, a course you took that inspired you to pursue masters, or a key moment during your studies which further motivated you.

No matter what you decide to write, just keep in mind that you need to take your time to craft something good even if it means creating several drafts before the real thing and do not forget to proofread the statement for errors.

3. Research Your Program Of Study

Researching your program of study is one way to establish that you truly understand the discipline you’re getting into and prove to the admissions officer that you thoroughly thought about it before applying.

And because you want to put yourself forward as a serious candidate, one way to make you research easier is for you to visit the website of the department you are applying to. This page will contain information about faculty members, their specialisation, and publications.

From the intel, you gathered there you can now identify which professors match your interests and which ones you will benefit the most from learning under. After you’ve found this out, relate the same in a sentence or two in your statement of purpose for masters.

Example: “I would be honoured to study under the tutelage of Professor Nadia whose work I found resonated strongly with my beliefs and intended projects in this course”.

4. Avoid Clichés, Junks, And Many Details

When writing a statement of purpose for master degree try to avoid clichés, junks, and unnecessary details so that you don’t lose or bore your readers in between. Be as concise as possible, even if it’s your chance to express yourself.

A personal statement is an opportunity for the admissions committee to get information that tells the that you are suitable for the course. So, when you overpower your statement with too many words, stories, and useless details, you come off as someone who is just trying to meet the word count.

5. Include Your Personal History Only If It Adds To The Statement

Do not include your personal history in your statement of intent for masters if it is not relevant to your purpose of study. This means no need for you to tell that story about that time you helped someone treat a cut and immediately realised that you wanted to be a doctor or nurse or how you developed a taste for reading at a very young age.

We can guarantee you that the hundreds of other applications competing for the same spot you are felt the same way, so saying those things really doesn’t make you unique.

On the other hand, if you are going to add personal history to your statement, you can put in things like an internship you did and the experience you got from the job, a major research project you ran by yourself, publications you’ve read or published, conferences you’ve attended or presentations you’ve done. These experiences are more concrete and are directly related to your program of study. They also set you apart from other applicants.

6. Don't Use The Same Personal Statement For All Your Applications

One common mistake applicant make that you shouldn’t is using the same statement of purpose for master degree for all your applications. Using the same information repeatedly even if you are going to change the university names is risky and could land you in a big mistake on a day you forget to be thorough.

All programmes have their own unique set of questions they want to see answered and information they need in your personal statement.

And even if some of them like extracurricular activities, proposal for project, why you are applying to the school, your unique qualities, and research works you’re doing might appear the same, do not use one statement to respond to all of them.

Write a new unique personal statement every time you want to apply.

Check out:  How to Write a Good CV for Students - Resume Examples for Students (PDF).

How To Write A Personal Statement for Masters

When writing a personal statement for masters there are several steps and ground rules you need to follow to ensure that it comes out good enough to impress the admissions team of a school, and ultimately convince them to give you a spot on your program of study.

If writing one is something you are currently struggling with and can’t seem to get down the process of it right no matter what, this section on how to write a personal statement for masters, discusses in detail everything you need to get help with yours.

There are 4 parts to consider when writing your personal statement and we have listed them below:

1. Planning A Personal Statement

A personal statement is a piece of writing showing your academic interests and is only for application purposes which means there is no room for any autobiographical information in it about your personal life. Be as to-the-point as possible when writing it and stick to telling the school why you are the right person for the course, plus any other extra information detailing your achievements.

Before You Start:

Allot plenty of time to write your msc personal statement so that you don’t rush it. Remember, this simple piece of writing is your one shot at convincing a school that you are the best applicant they’ve seen and as such can either make or break your application.

Read the information expected of you from the university, rules and guidelines given, selection criteria and understand what they mean. Also research the institution.

Do a thorough research on the course you are applying for; this will help you explain better why you want to study it. The tutors interviewing you can tell when you are lying and presenting yourself as uninformed can cost you the admission.

Ensure that you don’t use the same personal statement for all your applications.

When Writing:

When writing the statement there are some questions to ask yourself that can help you plan it better. Those questions are:

• Why you want to study a master’s and how does it benefit you in future?
• How does the course you have chosen fit into your pre-existing skill set?
• How do you stand out from the crowd as an applicant - e.g., work experiences you’ve had in the same field you are applying for?
• What do you aspire to do or be as a future career and how will the course help you achieve that?
• How can your work or skillsets contribute positively to the department/ university you are applying to, or society at large?

On the other hand, if you are applying for the masters to change from the field you studied in your undergraduate to another field, you should tell the school why you decided to take a different path in your studies.

Questions to ask yourself for this include:

• Your reason for deciding to change your discipline.
• How your undergraduate degree will be material for bringing fresh insights into your masters course.
• How changing your study path will help you attain your future career.

2. Structuring A Personal Statement

Having good structure for your personal statement for master degree is important because it ensures that everything from the beginning, middle, and ending of the statement is written and equally falls in place perfectly.

We’ve left some tips for you below to help you:

Start your personal statement with an attention-grabbing introduction that is not dramatic or cliché. That means you should not begin with any of these over-used phrases we’ve listed out below:

For as long as I remember…

Since my childhood…

I want to apply to this course because I’ve always felt a strong connection to it…

All my life, I have always loved…

My interest in (course) always ran deeper than…

I’ve always been zealous about…

Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in…

My past educational experiences have always…

You would want to be as snappy as possible with your opening because the admission officer has over a hundred applications to read and can’t waste all their time on yours. This means you should avoid overpowering it with unnecessary facts, quotes, and stories from your life.

The middle part of your ma personal statement is where the main content of the write-up should be. This is where you show your dedication to the course you’ve chosen, what motivated you to choose it, and why you are the right candidate for it.

When writing the middle part of a graduate personal statement, you should:  

• Give concrete reasons why you want to study a course at the University. The reason could be because of how the course is aligned to your future career or the University’s reputation in teaching that program.
• Mention relevant things like projects, dissertations, or essays you’ve done, and any work experience you have.
• Show proof of your core skills like and how they can contribute to the department.
• Prove what makes you a unique candidate.
• Discuss who your main influences for wanting to study the course are and why.
• Add experiences like memberships to clubs that are related to your field, papers you’ve written before, awards, scholarships, or prizes.
• Draw focus to how the course links to your past and future.
• Mention your academic and non-academic skills and how they fit the course.

For Formatting:

• Keep the statement length between 250 -500 words or as directed by the school.
• Sentences should be no more than 25-30 words.
• Use headings to break up the content – Why this university? Why this subject? Etc.
• Make claims and provide evidence to back each of them up. This can be done by discussing your work experience and academic interests.

Language and tone to use:     

• The tone for your masters application personal statement should be positive and enthusiastic, to show you eagerness to learn and so that you convince the evaluators that you have what it takes to succeed.
• Use exciting and refreshing language, and an engaging opening line.
• Ensure you grammar, punctuations, and spellings are accurate.
• Avoid exaggerated claims you cannot backup.
• Don’t use cliché generic terms and keep your focus on the course.

Keep the ending of your essay for master degree application concise and memorable, leaving no doubt in the admission officers mind that you deserve a spot on the program.

To create the best ending summarise all your key points without dragging it our or repeating yourself. The ending should be simple, end on a positive note and make it clear that the school will be lucky to have you on their program.

Personal Statement for Masters Sample

In this section, we have left a masters personal statement example for you, which you can use as material to write yours for any course of study you are applying to a school for.

Personal Statement PDF

You can also download this statement of purpose sample for masters degree pdf here and take your time to read it later – Personal Statement For Masters Sample .

See Also:  Student CV Template .

Examples of Personal Statement for Masters

We have taken the time to source for some of the best postgraduate personal statement examples, which you can use in addition to the personal statement for masters program example as a template to write yours.

While you scroll through our list, you will find the perfect masters essay example for any field you wish to apply for, from business administration, to Psychology, to information technology, and lots more.

1. msw personal statement

We have found one of the best msw personal statement examples out there for you.

social work masters personal statement .  

2. personal statement for masters in public health

mph personal statement examples

3. personal statement for masters in management

Personal statement for master degree sample for masters in management .  , 4. personal statement for masters in education example.

personal statement for masters in education example

5. psychology masters personal statement

psychology masters personal statement example

6. sample personal statement for masters in data science data science masters personal statement

7. speech and language therapy personal statement statement of purpose for masters sample: speech and language therapy

8. business administration personal statement personal statement for masters in business administration

9. personal statement for masters in cyber security pdf masters degree personal statement examples for cyber security

10. personal statement for masters in finance msc finance personal statement examples

11. statement of purpose for masters in information technology pdf msc personal statement examples for information technology

12. international development personal statement statement of purpose for masters example

13. msc international business management personal statement international business management personal statement examples

14. computer science masters personal statement

statement of purpose for masters in computer science pdf

15. personal statement for masters in economics statement of purpose sample for masters degree in economics

16. mha personal statement statement of purpose format for masters in health administration    

Conclusion – Things to Avoid When Writing A Personal Statement For Masters When writing a personal statement for university masters, there are some things you should avoid, so that you don’t ruin your essay. We have listed out those things below: •    Avoid negativity. •    Following an online template blindly. •    Do not include unnecessary course modules, personal facts, or extra-curricular activities in your personal statement. •    Do not lie or exaggerate an achievement or event. •    Do not include inspirational quotes to your statement. •    Avoid using clichés, gimmicks, humour, over-used word such as 'passion' or ‘driven’. •    Do not make pleading statements. •    Avoid mentioning key authors or professors in your field without any explanation. •    Avoid using sentences that are too long. •    Avoid flattering the organisation or using patronising terms. •    Do not repeat information in your statement that you have already listed in your application. •    Avoid waffling i.e., writing at length. •    Don’t start writing your personal statement at the last minute.  

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Sample International Relations Personal Statement (Columbia, Cornell, Kings)

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

The following essay is written by an applicant who got accepted to top graduate programs in international relations and affairs (Masters in IR). Variations of this personal statement got accepted at Columbia’s SIPA school, Cornell’s ILR school and Kings College London. Read this essay to understand what a top personal statement in international relations and affairs should look like.

Sample Personal Statement in International Relations and Affairs

After GCE A-levels, I was so smitten with Economics that I wanted it to stay with me for life. As it happens to be, that did turn out to be true. I received a scholarship to the London School of Economics (LSE) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. While at the LSE, I developed an interest in economic research. I interned at the Center for Economic Research in Washington, DC, every summer for four years. My work in DC was based on Evidence-Based Procurement Reforms. The project aimed to evaluate public sector institutes’ procurement process to increase efficiency in their procurement workflow. The fieldwork required me to work with government officials and help them digitize the procurement process. I realized that even though the officials wanted public sector organizations to work efficiently, such changes were not easy to bring unless better policies were designed.

During my junior year at LSE, I worked as a research assistant at the Center for Research in Economics and Business (CREB). At CREB, I worked with Professor Antony Bert on a preliminary report to evaluate the impact of microcredit on women in developing countries. The study was conducted in collaboration with a nonprofit, and it helped me see the difference my work could make in the lives of women entrepreneurs.

During my senior year at LSE, I was selected for the Global UGRAD program. My time at Utica College helped me decide where I wanted to proceed with economics. The rich discussions in my “international political economy” and “international relations” classes gave me a lot to think about. I especially remember when I led a seminar on how the West could help the East solve its economic problems. The classroom was an amalgamation of different nationalities, so the varying viewpoints were very interesting.

The thought that developing countries may be a burden for the developed world to bear saddened me. I had previously given little thought to my country’s role in the global economy. It became apparent to me that the resources, even in the wealthiest countries, are scarce, and development is a pressing issue. At the same time, interacting with people from different ethnicities opened my mind to what I needed to do for developing countries. Talking about the problems of developing countries with others motivated me to play my part in making them better, and working for their development, seemed the right place to start.

My fascination with economics grew further when I heard Professor Kaushik Basu, the Chief Economist at World Bank, talk about the challenges facing the South Asian region at the 11th South Asian Economics Students’ Meet (SAESM) in Bhutan. He stated that the South Asian region could greatly benefit from regional integration if its countries overcame problems, such as mutual mistrust, by formulating policies to help eradicate such barriers. This increased my proclivity toward development economics and sparked an interest in studying policymaking.

Recently, I got the opportunity to intern at the Planning and Development Department of India. It was a window for me to peek into the world of policymaking, which did not turn out to be as I had hoped. Millions of dollars were allocated to different projects, yet with no significant improvement in the common man’s life. I became certain that much more is needed to be done to make public policies more effective. For example, there was no proper cost-benefit analysis of projects, and there were instances where funds were tied up in projects due to bureaucratic delays.

I was thrilled to start working as a Research Assistant for a Tax project. As I had become enamored with public policy by now, I was excited to work for evidence-based policy reform. The project intends to strengthen the social relationship between the government and the taxpayers by highlighting the link between property tax revenues and public services. I have been coordinating and working closely with the Excise and Taxation Department and have also been involved in collecting and cleaning taxpayer data. While I am learning a lot here at The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), it has helped me identify the gaps in my knowledge. For example, I lack the econometric skills to analyze public programs and policies.

I hope that graduate studies will help me obtain these skills and tools. I want to pursue a Master’s in International Relations specializing in international development policy, as I want to evaluate third-world countries’ policies in an international setting. My experiences provide a great opportunity to get a graduate degree and experience the cultural exchange experience again, where I can share more experiences from my work with the new people I meet. I hope to return to India better prepared to work on policy analysis by working for developmental organizations and agencies.

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• International Relations Masters Personal Statement Sample

Written by Ben Taylor

This is an example personal statement for a Masters degree application in International Relations. See our guide for advice on writing your own postgraduate personal statement .

In today’s unstable political climate, a nuanced, multifaceted understanding of international relations seems more important than ever, with the emergence of right-wing populism around the world and the imminent reckoning of the climate crisis (not to mention the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic). Being able to grasp the power dynamics at play between (and within) nations seems crucial to maintaining some semblance of continuity in the international community.

Having studied History and Politics at undergraduate level, one of the aspects of your Masters in International Relations programme that appeals to me the most is its interdisciplinary nature. Sociology, international law and history are all incredibly important when it comes to understanding our current moment and I look forward to studying the myriad ways in which they inform each other.

My undergraduate dissertation focused on the breakup of Yugoslavia and the subsequent Dayton Accords peace agreement, and was informed by my time at an NGO in Sarajevo in 2017. This organisation promoted human rights in the Balkan region and I helped with the development of several campaigns to support judicial and civic reform. I’m eager to expand on this research for my Masters and have already secured another internship working for a Zagreb-based refugee organisation next summer.

While at university I was active in several student societies, including being on the committee for the Amnesty International Society, where I helped organise several keynote speeches and letter-writing campaigns. I was also the social secretary for the History Society and the treasurer for the Alternative Music Society, putting on several financially lucrative gigs around the city.

After graduating in 2018, I started working as an account manager for a marketing agency, drumming up sales and also acting as a liaison between our clients and the in-house team of creatives. I like to think that this experience has boosted my interpersonal communication skills and given me a knack for negotiation and managing expectations.

Despite working full-time, I’ve continued to travel widely wherever possible, returning to the Balkans on several occasions and also making self-guided study trips to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, the UN Headquarters in New York City and the United Nations Office at Geneva.

I hope that your Masters programme will provide the scope to expand on my existing experience and give me opportunities to develop expertise in new and exciting areas. Once my studies have finished, I hope to find work in a more senior role at an NGO in the Balkans and I’m sure that your programme will act as the perfect springboard for this goal.

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Personal statement

You will need to submit a personal statement of around 500 words, outlining your academic history and relevant experience.

Your personal statement is an important part of your application: it will help selectors to decide whether you are a good match for the programme you have applied for and, just as importantly, whether the programme is right for you.

Areas to cover

Your personal statement gives you the opportunity to outline your academic history and relevant experience in order to demonstrate that you are a suitable candidate for the programme you have applied for. 

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• Why are you interested in studying at Edinburgh?
• Why have you chosen this particular programme?
• If you are studying for career development, what are your career plans and how will your studies support these?

If you have any other relevant experience, for example paid or voluntary work experience or additional qualifications not stated elsewhere, then please include this information in your personal statement, or you can add it to the “Relevant knowledge/training skills” field in the application form.

If you are applying for more than one programme you should write a tailored personal statement for each of your applications. This enables you to refer to the specific programme you are applying for and to highlight how your academic background and skills make you suitable for this particular programme.

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Length and writing style

Your personal statement should be no more than 3,500 characters (approximately 500 words) in length and should be written in formal English, using appropriate grammar and punctuation.

It is a good idea to ask a friend to proofread your statement for you before you submit your application.

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Personal statement - MSc International Management

• Sample personal statement

07 July, 2022

Personal statement - msc international management share.

• 12 May, 2013

I am keen to pursue MSc International Management at University of Brighton. By researching the course curriculum available at university website, I become to know that this course helps students to develop the global business knowledge which will help me to achieve my future career goal. Moreover, I believe getting a chance to pursue my study career in thisUniversity will progress me both professionally and intellectually. Besides the opportunity to apply my theories and ideas in practice will benefit me to enhance my skills and to achieve a deeper understanding of the field of InternationalManagement.

According to my research I have found that this course will be the perfect opportunity for me to continue to hone my communication and management skills, empowering me to be a more powerful and confident leader. Through hands-on exercises and projects designed to closely mimic those that I will encounter in my future career, this program will provide me with the accurate training and preparations I need to handle such tough challenges in the future. I believe this MSc will provide me with the knowledge of business concepts as well as the understanding of the matters that I will need to become a successful business professional. Intuition alone is not good enough to run a business. I believe that a strong business education is very crucial to successful business management in this Modern age, for this reason I hope to be able to acquire an MSc International Management. Moreover, my previous academic qualifications will give me an upper hand to obtain better score in this course. If I can successfully complete the course, it will create a platform for me to explore different career opportunities such as Policy advisor or analyst, Management analyst, public relations (PR) account executive and Compliance officer. For this reason, this MSc International Management will be the right choice for my future career progression.

Following my SSC and HSC I studied Bachelor of Business Studies from National University, Gazipur, Bangladesh in May 2012. Then I studied Master of Business Administration in HRM from Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh in September 2014. Later on, I started my working career as a HR officer at Nassa Group in December 2014. I am still working with this company, and it was really a fascinating experience for me to work with them. My work experiences have led me to identify all my potentials including my strengths and weaknesses. I have also come to understand the need to be well equipped with the knowledge in the field of business. For this reason, I have decided to continue my further study with this course at University of Brighton.As I have gained a lot of experiences it will be easier for me secure a suitable position in if I have this degree.

University of Brighton offers International Leadership and Management, International Logistics and Finance, Sustainable Strategic Management, Managing Organisational Behaviour, Marketing in an International Context, Research Methods for master’s degrees and Management Integration OR Work Experience. Moreover, I will also have an opportunity to study some of the optional modules which include Entrepreneurship and New Venture Planning, Consultancy or Business Solutions in Action. All the modules are highly demanding and suitable in today’s business world.

I am determined to continue my study in this course in the UK as the study environment in my country is quite different and we get to study with only the national students. Furthermore, the political chaos makes it harder for students to get the degree without any delay. On the other hand, the UK has a great multicultural and diversified student community which is an opportunity for me to learn with lot of students from different nationalities. UK education brand is highly respected by employers in our country as UK degree prepare graduates with academic competencies, developed personal and professional skills that are imperative for organizational success. The transferrable skills graduates carry forward from UK are pivotal for transforming organisational growth and gain competitive advantages. This is also a reason to study again in UK. In a recent Survey of International Graduate Outcomes 2019 by Universities UK International produced by iGraduate shows that 82% international graduates say that their UK degree are worth the financial investment and similar number of graduates say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their careers. Nearly 83% feel that UK degree has helped them to get jobs. These aspects have driven my ambition to gain the degree from a UK institution.

The University of Brighton is a public university dependent on four campuses in Brighton and Eastbourne on the south shoreline of England. Brighton University is known all through the world as a result of its great courses and dedication to instruction quality and execution. It has a boundless number of excellent mentors where I can arrive at the equivalent precise top-quality training. Moreover, The University of Brighton is ranked as a top 5 university for world-leading research impact in business and management studies (REF 2014). I can discover my desired course I need in this University. University of Brighton is one of the first UK universities which use Job Teaser, a new online placements system presenting placement options in the UK and Europe, which gathers together all the job opportunities, events and resources I will need to help me with my professional development. Also, I found one more unique feature which is Bee purple event that run throughout the academic year which that will improve my employability and help me grow a successful business. I will look no further if I get this opportunity to study at University of Brighton.

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Statement by UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner on the Famine Crisis in Sudan

August 3, 2024.

Achim Steiner

UNDP Administrator

The IPC Famine Review Committee’s (FRC) report confirms what many of us have feared  and warned about —that famine is not merely a likely and devastating future prospect, but an actual and cruel present reality in North Darfur near El-Fasher, and perhaps in as many as 14 other areas in Sudan. 

The report’s conclusions corroborate our  own findings : 70% of rural households did not cultivate any land during the 2023 summer season, raising the specter of a wider famine. Additionally, a quarter of rural households could not visit markets due to safety concerns, and 43% could not afford to buy food even when it was available. This stark reality could not be clearer—if humanitarian access remains limited and the conflict persists, these conditions can only be expected to worsen.

A commensurate immediate humanitarian response cannot take place under current conditions. Yet, famine in Sudan can be halted through urgent action. UNDP calls on the parties to the conflict to explore all means to cease hostilities, and to facilitate unhindered access into the Greater Darfur states for humanitarian purposes. 

While immediate humanitarian and food assistance are crucial in Sudan, it is equally important to enhance these efforts with urgent support for livelihoods. This involves significant investments in irrigation infrastructure and the provision of extension services and resources to farmers. By focusing on these areas, we can not only meet immediate needs but also foster long-term sustainability and resilience within communities. This approach will enable communities to thrive despite ongoing challenges. 

UNDP remains committed to strengthening the resilience of the Sudanese population, expanding agricultural production capabilities, delivering essential services, and supporting vital infrastructure development. As the lead development agency in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), we stand ready to bring to bear our development resources, capabilities and expertise to support humanitarian efforts. 

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Salt Lake City International Airport and Sky Harbour Announce Hangar Campus Development

Salt Lake City International Airport and Sky Harbour Group Corporation (NYSE American: SKYH, SKYH WS) announced today the execution of a lease agreement for the development of a Sky Harbour Home Base hangar campus on 8.4 acres at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), serving Salt Lake City and the greater Rocky Mountain region.

The Sky Harbour campus will offer “the best Home Base in business aviation” and compliment Sky Harbour’s current development at Centennial Airport (APA) in Denver to house the Rocky Mountain area’s top corporate and privately-owned business jets in state-of-the art hangars, with line-services dedicated exclusively to based tenants, offering “the shortest time to wheels-up in business aviation.” The campus is expected to create or sustain hundreds of local jobs and generate significant economic benefits for the State of Utah, Salt Lake City, and Salt Lake City International Airport.

“Sky Harbour will not only greatly enhance the campus of the SLC International Airport but will benefit the city, state and region as well,” said Bill Wyatt, executive director, Salt Lake City Department of Airports. “We look forward to working with Sky Harbour to augment SLC’s business aviation industry.”

Tal Keinan, Sky Harbour’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Salt Lake City International Airport is a gem in the growing Rocky Mountain Region, and one of the nation’s fastest growing business aviation airports. This Home Base campus will be Sky Harbour’s second facility to serve the Rocky Mountain Region. Sky Harbour is honored to be joining the SLC community and committed to delivering the long-term benefits of a Sky Harbour campus to Salt Lake City and to the State of Utah.”

The Salt Lake City International Airport campus joins Sky Harbour campuses now operating at Houston’s Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR), Nashville International Airport (BNA), Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport (OPF), and San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC); campuses in development at Denver’s Centennial Airport (APA), Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT), Dallas’s Addison Airport (ADS), Chicago Executive Airport (PWK), Bradley International Airport (BDL), Hudson Valley Regional Airport (POU), Orlando Executive Airport (ORL), Dulles International Airport (IAD), and New York Stewart International Airport (SWF); and additional campuses anticipated to be announced soon.

About Salt Lake City International Airport The Salt Lake City International Airport serves more than 26 million passengers each year and is the 21 st busiest airport in the United States and 70 th busiest in the world. More than 330 flights depart daily to more than 95 non-stop destinations. To learn more, visit www.slcairport.com .

About Sky Harbour Group Corporation Sky Harbour Group Corporation is an aviation infrastructure company developing the first nationwide network of Home-Basing campuses for business aircraft. The company develops, leases and manages general aviation hangars across the United States. Sky Harbour’s Home-Basing offering aims to provide private and corporate customers with the best physical infrastructure in business aviation, coupled with dedicated service tailored to based aircraft, offering the shortest time to wheels-up in business aviation. To learn more, visit www.skyharbour.group .

Forward Looking Statements Certain statements made in this release are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about the expectations regarding future operations at Salt Lake City International Airport. When used in this press release, the words “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “outlook,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “continue,” “could,” “may,” “might,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “would” and other similar words and expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of the management of Sky Harbour Group Corporation (the “Company”) as applicable and are inherently subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For more information about risks facing the Company, see the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and other filings the Company makes with the SEC from time to time. The Company’s statements herein speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Salt Lake City International Airport Public Relations: [email protected] Sky Harbour Airport Relations: [email protected] Sky Harbour Resident Relations: [email protected] Sky Harbour Investor Relations: [email protected] Attn: Francisco Gonzalez

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240808130075/en/

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Commemorating Ten Years Since the West Africa Ebola Outbreak

For Immediate Release

Office of Press Relations [email protected]

Statement by Acting Spokesperson Shejal Pulivarti

Ten years ago today, the World Health Organization declared that an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the West African nations of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone was a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Sixteen months later, the worst Ebola outbreak in recorded history would finally end but not before the disease reached 10 countries, claimed 11,325 lives, infected more than 28,600 people, and upended millions of lives.

USAID played a lead role in the international response, deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) on August 5, 2014, to Liberia to lead efforts to stop the spread of the virus and save lives. USAID soon deployed additional staff to Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mali, and Ghana, with the DART serving as a regional coordinating platform for other federal entities, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. military, and the U.S. Public Health Service. At one point, more than 3,000 U.S. government personnel were in West Africa, working to contain the disease. Working with host governments and local communities, they strengthened capacity to detect and treat cases of Ebola by improving and expanding laboratory capacity, supporting aggressive contact tracing efforts, increasing the number of Ebola treatment units, running a field hospital, training healthcare workers, and expanding the pipeline of medical equipment and supplies. 

The U.S. government supported robust efforts to prevent the spread of the disease in health facilities, within communities, and across borders by increasing infection prevention and control trainings as well as the capacity to conduct safe and dignified burials. The U.S. government support also included efforts building on the response investments to enable the affected communities and countries to be better prepared for future health emergencies by strengthening emergency operations centers, developing protocols for countries to respond to future disasters, and launching information campaigns on how to identify and prevent Ebola. Together, with our international partners – and the people in the affected countries – we helped contain the outbreak. 

It was also historic for how it galvanized the international community to recognize that in today’s world, an infectious disease threat anywhere is a threat everywhere. These investments – USAID has invested $2.5 billion since 2014 to  prepare for, detect, and respond to emerging health threats  – ensure the U.S. government remains more nimble and responsive to early alerts, reducing the threat these crises pose and protecting people around the world from infectious disease outbreaks when they happen, ultimately reducing dependence on foreign aid to weather them. 

Due to USAID’s work and investments in global health security and outbreak response, dozens of partner countries have strengthened their capacity to prevent, detect and respond to health threats. We strive to contain outbreaks and limit their impact on communities around the world. Today, USAID’s global health security and outbreak response efforts are built upon the lessons learned a decade ago and remain focused on containing today's threats. 

Since the start of the 21st century, outbreaks have become more frequent and more severe. The West Africa Ebola outbreak ten years ago demonstrated this. The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced it. We must take this moment to recognize the importance of efforts and investments to prepare the world for what lies ahead.

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News from the Church in Malta

Vatican reveals theme for 2025 World Day of Peace

“Only from a genuine conversion on all levels – personal, local and international – will true peace be able to flourish,” says the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in its statement on the theme for the 2025 World Day of Peace.

In Thursday’s statement, the Dicastery adds that peace comes not only from an end to conflicts, “but also in a new reality in which wounds are healed and each person’s dignity is recognized”.

The World Day of Peace is observed each year on January 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Since its establishment in 1967 by Pope St Paul VI, the Popes have taken the occasion to offer magisterial reflections in Messages for the day, dealing with topics such as the United Nations, human rights, diplomacy, and economic development.

The theme chosen by the Holy Father for the World Day of Peace for 2025 is “Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace”, corresponding to “the biblical and ecclesial understanding of the Jubilee Year”.

Hope and forgiveness at the heart of the Jubilee

In its statement, the Dicastery says the theme is inspired by Pope Francis’s encyclical letters  Laudato sí and  Fratelli tutti , “and above all by the concepts of Hope and Forgiveness, which are at the heart of the Jubilee, a time for conversion that calls us not to condemn, but instead to bring about reconciliation and peace”.

The Dicastery goes on to note by “considering the reality of conflicts and social sins afflicting humanity today in light of the hope inherent in the Jubilee tradition of the forgiveness of sins and the cancellation of debts, together with the reflections of the Fathers of the Church in this regard, concrete principles emerge that can lead to a much needed spiritual, social, economic, ecological and cultural change”.

Source: vaticannews.va

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Olympic Boxer Imane Khelif Is Neither Trans Nor Male

A short fight between algerian boxer imane khelif and italian boxer angela carini lead to a long and sustained bout of misinformation., alex kasprak, published aug. 5, 2024.

In early August 2024, an Algerian female boxer at the 2024 Paris Olympics named Imane Khelif was forced into American culture wars over allegations she was a man identifying as a woman to cheat her way to the top. The news cycle began after Khelif's unusually short victory over Italian boxer Angela Carini.

On Aug. 1, 2024,  Khelif faced Carini in an opening bout of the women's welterweight boxing tournament at the 2024 Games. Forty-six seconds into the bout, Carini ended the fight early after being punched a few times, delivering an unusual win to Khelif.

Carini later said she ended the fight due to severe nose pain following one of Khelif's blows. Video showed her sobbing after her loss and not shaking Khelif's hand when offered to her. "I have never felt a punch like this," she said after the fight.

Anti-trans activists and social media pundits immediately painted this fight as an example of the alleged unfairness and danger of allowing trans women to fight against those assigned female at birth. 

The author J.K. Rowling, for example, described the match on X as "a young female boxer" having "everything she's worked and trained for snatched away because [the International Olympic Committee] allowed a male to get in the ring with her."

The virulently anti-trans X account Libs of TikTok also weighed in , describing Khelif as "a man … being allowed to compete in women's Olympic boxing in Paris."

Former U.S. President Donald Trump chimed in as well, describing Khelif as "a person that transitioned": 

The problem with these arguments was Khelif is neither trans nor male. She was born, and has lived her entire life, as a female. The sanctioned International Boxing Association (IBA) alleged in a confidential report she did not meet the World Boxing Championship requirements for female competition in 2023, despite having competed as a woman in that same competition for many years prior, winning silver in 2022.

Khelif's eligibility was challenged only after she beat a Russian opponent to advance to the World Championship quarterfinal round in 2023. The IBA was once recognized by the IOC as the official governing body for boxing — but that title was rescinded in April 2023 following, among other things, allegations of corruption and ties to Russian money . As a result, the IOC, not the IBA, sets the rules for Olympic women's boxing.

Who is Imane Khelif?

Khelif is an Algerian boxer who has competed, as a woman, at the international level for years. She has always identified as a woman, and as a UNICEF ambassador has discussed the role that being a young girl in a tiny rural village has had on her development as a boxer:

When Imane Khelif, 24, one of Algeria's top female boxers is asked what achievements she is most proud of, she says, "It's being able to overcome the obstacles in my life." Imane recalls how at 16 she managed to excel in football in her rural village in Tiaret in western Algeria despite football not being seen as a game fit for girls. Moreover, the boys in her village felt threatened and picked fights with her. Ironically it was her ability to dodge the boys' punches that got her into boxing.

She came in 17th at the 2018 IBA World Boxing Championships and 33rd in the 2019 IBA World Boxing Championships. She represented Algeria in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In those games, she lost to the tournament's bronze medalist, Ireland's Kellie Harrington. Her presence did not generate any controversy. She went on to win silver in the 2022 World Boxing Championships.

What Happened in 2023?

Khelif also competed in the 2023 IBA World Championships in New Delhi — that is, until she beat a Russian boxer. On March 22, 2023, Khelif " dominated " Russian boxer Amineva Azalia with a 4-1 victory, securing her a position in the quarterfinals scheduled to begin a few days later.

On March 24, however, the IBA disqualified Khelif, suggesting a "failure to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women's competition." In 2023, the head of the IBA told the Russian news agency TASS that DNA tests had "proved they had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded from the sports events." XY chromosomes are typically associated with males.

Responding to controversy a year later, however, the IBA more generally claimed that Khelif was "subject to [a] … recognized test" but that "the specifics remain confidential." The IOC had suggested the 2023 disqualification was due to her testosterone level, but the IBA pushed back on that claim.

Can Women Have XY Chromosomes or Elevated Testosterone?

Gender testing for women's sports remains controversial . The rationale is that the process of going through puberty as a male imparts significant physical advantages over females that could make competition between the sexes dangerous. The controversy, historically at least, has largely been over how these tests should work and how to handle cases complicated by the natural genetic diversity of human life.

There are genetic conditions, termed differences of sexual development, in which biological females are born with XY chromosomes but possess female anatomy, or that affect how a biological female regulates and reacts to testosterone, causing levels typically associated with males. Though there is no independent confirmation that Khelif has these conditions, people born this way would legally be considered female or intersex.

Debates over these issues in the context of women's sports have nothing to do with a purported "woke" or "trans agenda," because such instances involve women who were born as women, identify as women and have not undergone any sex reassignment surgery or procedure to change this fact. That is what IOC spokesperson Mark Adams meant when he clarified to the press "this is not a transgender issue."

Gender-reassignment procedures require significant financial and medical resources. The notion that a woman from a rural western Algerian village who sold scrap metal to support her boxing career would have had the ability to undergo such a procedure in a deeply conservative Muslim country that prohibits the practice is extremely unlikely , at best.

IOC Responds

On Aug. 1, 2024, the day Khelif defeated Carini, the IOC released a statement defending both Khelif and another boxer facing similar accusations, Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting:

We have seen in reports misleading information about two female athletes competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The two athletes have been competing in international boxing competitions for many years in the women's category, including the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships and IBA-sanctioned tournaments. … The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years. Such an approach is contrary to good governance. Eligibility rules should not be changed during ongoing competition, and any rule change must follow appropriate processes and should be based on scientific evidence.

The IOC stated that both boxers have met the IOC eligibility requirements for competition as a woman in boxing.

Angela Carini Was Not Making a Political Statement

Social media accounts falsely attempting to make this story about transgender athletes attempted to paint a sorrowful picture of Carini's loss, describing her dreams as having been crushed by a man pretending to be a woman and suggesting that photos of the fight and of Carini's tearful reaction evoked images of domestic violence . Carini's tears and her not shaking Khelif's hand were used to support this narrative.

But according to The Associated Press, Carini was not making a political statement at all, and did not intend to refuse to shake Khelif's hand:

"All this controversy makes me sad," Carini said. "I'm sorry for my opponent, too. … If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision." Carini was apologetic for not shaking Khelif's hand after the bout. "It wasn't something I intended to do," Carini said. "Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke. I don't have anything against Khelif. Actually, if I were to meet her again I would embrace her."

It is not uncommon for athletes of any gender to shed tears after losing a shot at a medal in the Olympic Games, nor is it uncommon for a punch to the head from an Olympic boxer to cause pain. Boxing is a sport in which two people try to punch each other hard enough to cause a knockout.

Bottom Line

The only purported evidence for the claim that Khelif is trans comes from an undisclosed test performed by an allegedly corrupt sports governing body that may have shown she has a DSD condition. The IOC has said Khelif meets its requirements for participation, with Adams, the IOC spokesman, specifically clarifying , "This is not a transgender issue."

Because Khelif is not transgender, claims attempting to make her victory against Carini an issue about transgender rights or "woke" politics are without basis.

Snopes reporter Jordan Liles contributed to this report.

"Algeria Boxer Imane Khelif Wins First Olympic Fight When Opponent Angela Carini Quits." AP News, 1 Aug. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-boxing-gender-4b6eb881cce9c34484d30c68ad979127.

Boxing/Women's World Championships (Day 6): Algerian Imane Khelif Secures Her Ticket to the Quarter-Finals. https://al24news.com/fr/boxe-championnats-du-monde-feminin-6e-journee-lalgerienne-imane-khelif-valide-son-billet-pour-les-quarts-de-finale/. Accessed 2 Aug. 2024.

"Childhood of Boxer Imane Khelif as She Faces Accusations of Being 'Biological Male.'" The Independent, 2 Aug. 2024, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/imane-khelif-olympics-boxer-trans-debate-gender-carini-b2590229.html.

Ewing, Lori. "Explainer: Olympics-DSD Rules in Focus in Women's Boxing." Reuters, 31 July 2024. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/sports/olympics/olympics-dsd-rules-focus-womens-boxing-2024-07-31/.

"Joint Paris 2024 Boxing Unit/IOC Statement." Olympics.Com, 1 Aug. 2024, https://olympics.com/ioc/news/joint-paris-2024-boxing-unit-ioc-statement.

"Lin Yu-Ting and Imane Khelif: Boxers Cleared for Paris Olympics." BBC Sport, 30 July 2024, https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/articles/c4ngr93d9pgo.

Newsweek. Olympics Officials Make It "Absolutely Clear" On Women Boxers Controversy. 2024. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0do8voeKFNY.

"Olympic Association Calls for Successor to Run Boxing's Global Duties after Excluding IBA." BBC Sport, 9 Apr. 2024. www.bbc.com, https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/68773451.

"Statement Made by the International Boxing Association Regarding Athletes Disqualifications in World Boxing Championships 2023." IBA, 31 July 2024, https://www.iba.sport/news/statement-made-by-the-international-boxing-association-regarding-athletes-disqualifications-in-world-boxing-championships-2023.

Tokyo 2020: Harrington Guarantees Medal with Khelif Win. Aug. 2021. www.rte.ie, https://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2021/0803/1238700-tokyo-2020-harrington-guarantees-medal-with-khelif-win/.

"Who Is Italian Boxer Angela Carini and Why Did She Quit Her Fight against Imane Khelif?" AP News, 2 Aug. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/angela-carini-imane-khelif-boxing-63e9dbaa30f1e29196d4162c72c2babf.

By Alex Kasprak

Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime.

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Who is Imane Khelif? Algerian boxer facing gender outcry had modest success before Olympics

A spokesman for the International Olympic Committee said Friday two boxers at the centre of a controversy after one of them pulled out of a bout shortly after it had started, were eligible to fight as women.

Algeria’s Imane Khelif, reacts after defeating Italy’s Angela Carini in their women’s 66kg preliminary boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher)

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Algeria’s Imane Khelif, left, fights Italy’s Angela Carini in their women’s 66kg preliminary boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Algeria’s Imane Khelif, right, defeated, Italy’s Angela Carini in their women’s 66kg preliminary boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher)

FILE - Imane Khelif, of Algeria, right, delivers a punch to Mariem Homrani Ep Zayani, of Turkey, during their women’s light weight 60kg preliminary boxing match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

Live updates: Follow AP’s coverage of the 2024 Olympics in Paris as Americans Simone Biles, Sha’Carri Richardson and Katie Ledecky all win medals.

VILLEPINTE, France (AP) — Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has landed in the middle of a divide about gender in sports after her Italian competitor, Angela Carini, pulled out seconds into their bout at the Paris Olympics.

Outcry has come from conservatives like former U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing unspecified and untransparent eligibility tests for women’s competition from the now-banned International Boxing Association .

Read the latest on Algerian boxer Imane Khelif

• The Algerian boxer in the middle of a divide about gender in sports had modest success before the Olympics. She has now guaranteed herself a medal.
• Scrutiny around gender rules and identity is part of a long trend for female athletes of color.
• Olympics organizers said the arbitrary testing imposed on Khelif was “so flawed that it’s impossible to engage with it.”

Khelif was assigned female at birth and it says so on her passport, which is the International Olympic Committee’s threshold for eligibility for boxing because of the rift between the sport’s governing body and the IOC.

Khelif is a formidable athlete with respected fighting skills, contending in top international events — including major amateur boxing tournaments over the past six years, such as the Tokyo Olympics. She’s won a few regional gold medals.

But Khelif was decidedly not known as a dominant champion, an overpowering force or even a particularly hard puncher at her weight — not until this week in Paris.

Khelif defeated Carini in just 46 seconds Thursday, with the Italian boxer’s tearful abandonment of the fight leading to innumerable portrayals of Khelif as an unstoppable punching machine whose presence threatens the health of her opponents.

The reality, to those who actually watch or participate in Olympic-style boxing, is quite different. Here’s what to know about Khelif and the controversy:

Who is Imane Khelif?

Born in 1999, Khelif is from rural northwestern Algeria. Her father initially didn’t approve of girls participating in boxing, but Khelif said she gave up soccer as a teenager to pursue her new passion, even though she had to travel 10 kilometers each way to the gym.

Khelif eventually caught the attention of Algeria’s national team, making her major tournament debut in 2018 with a first-round loss at the AIBA — now the International Boxing Association — world championships. She lost five of her first six elite-level bouts, but improved and excelled.

Khelif was one of Algeria’s first three Olympic women’s boxers sent to Tokyo three years ago. She won her opening bout but lost her second to eventual gold medalist Kellie Harrington of Ireland.

She also raised her profile by doing well in the next two world championships, and she even became a UNICEF national ambassador early this year.

Why was she disqualified from the world championships?

Khelif reached the final of the 2023 world championships before she was abruptly disqualified by the IBA, which cited high levels of testosterone in her system. The circumstances of that disqualification have been considered highly unusual ever since it happened, and Khelif called it “a big conspiracy” at the time.

She had previously competed without issues and was disqualified by the sport’s governing body only after she defeated Russian boxer Azalia Amineva in the 2023 tournament. The IBA is controlled by Umar Kremlev, who is Russian and brought in the state-owned energy supplier Gazprom as its primary sponsor and moved much of the governing body’s operations to Russia.

This week, the IOC described it as “a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA” in which Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan “were suddenly disqualified without any due process.” Lin was suspended for failing to meet unspecified eligibility requirements in a biochemical test.

The reasons for the two disqualifications are extremely murky, as is almost always the case with the IBA. The governing body has revealed little about the nature of the tests, including what was tested and who tested it. This lack of transparency would be unacceptable in major Olympic sports, and the IBA has been banned from the Olympics since 2019.

The IOC noted Thursday that the boxing association’s own documents say the decision was made unilaterally by the IBA’s secretary general. Those documents also say the IBA went on to resolve at a meeting that it should “establish a clear procedure on gender testing” after it had already disqualified the two fighters.

Why is there outcry about Khelif competing?

Trump, Meloni and others like “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling have complained about Khelif being allowed to compete.

For the political far-right in Italy, which has been targeting issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, Khelif’s participation was just the latest evidence of “woke” culture infecting sport. Meloni, who met Friday with IOC President Thomas Bach, warned “ideology” taken to extremes can discriminate and harm women’s rights.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters Friday that there has been “a lot of misinformation around on social media particularly, which is damaging.”

Boxing in Paris is being run by a special IOC-appointed unit that the Olympic body says is applying rules, including eligibility decisions, that are based on the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro following the split with the sports governing body.

The IOC insisted this week that no scientific or political consensus exists on gender and fairness issues. It gave updated guidance to sports governing bodies in 2021.

Several sports bodies have updated their eligibility rules since the Tokyo Olympics were held in 2021, including World Aquatics , World Athletics and the International Cycling Union . They all decided to bar athletes from women’s events who have transitioned from male to female and went through male puberty.

World Athletics also tightened rules last year to include testosterone testing for some athletes legally identified as female at birth though with a medical condition that leads to some male traits.

Is Khelif too good for Paris?

Carini’s unusual actions aside — she later apologized for not shaking Khelif’s hand after the bout and told an Italian newspaper that “all this controversy makes me sad” — it’s highly unlikely anyone else in the women’s 66-kilogram division thinks Khelif is unfightable.

“I’m not scared,” her next opponent , Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary, said Thursday. They will face off Saturday. “I don’t care about the story or social media.”

Khelif is a medal contender in a sport where the Olympic draw can often determine the semifinal field by randomly pitting top fighters against each other too early in the competition.

But Khelif isn’t yet considered to be at the level of defending Olympic champion Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey or 2023 world champion Yang Liu of China, the top two seeds in Paris.

What do other fighters think about Khelif?

Opinions about Khelif’s presence in Paris have ranged widely, often directly correlated with awareness of the news cycle raging outside the athletes’ village.

Marissa Williamson Pohlman of Australia lost to Khelif in the Netherlands last May, and she said Khelif was particularly strong.

“I did notice it, but you just keep fighting, though, don’t you?” Williamson Pohlman said. “It’s just a part of the sport. All you want to do is win, so you just keep chucking punches.”

Khelif also received support from peers like Amy Broadhurst, the accomplished Irish amateur who beat Khelif in the 2022 IBA world championships.

“Personally I don’t think she has done anything to ‘cheat,’” Broadhurst wrote on social media. “I (think) it’s the way she was born & that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been (beaten) by 9 females before says it all.”

Catch up on the latest from Day 13 of the 2024 Paris Olympics:

• Basketball: LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry vs. Nikola Jokic is quite the matchup in the U.S. v. Serbia men’s basketball semifinals Thursday.
• Track and field: Noah Lyles won the 100 by five thousandths of a second on Sunday night, and is a big favorite heading into the 200.
• Keep up : Follow along with our Olympics medal tracker and list of winners. Check out the Olympic schedule of events.

AP writers Graham Dunbar in Paris and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

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Postgraduate international relations personal statement example.

The study of conflicts, international relations and politics could essentially be seen as understanding the way different actors relate to each other. It therefore holds the potential to polarise but also to include and encourage co-operation, which summarises my ideas, thoughts and hopes as to why I wish to pursue this interest.

I have always had a genuine fascination of global politics, conflicts and the way organisations, states and cultures interact and relate to each other. As a young boy I was fascinated by the movies and stories that portrayed a picture of the good and evil in an often dramatic clash, particularly the movies of James Bond.

I believe these movies sparked an interest and curiosity as to how global actors connect through conflict, diplomatic and financial relations, for example.

Needless to say, my understanding of global issues has developed since the highly simplified stories of secret agents saving the world. Through travelling, volunteering and studying in different countries across the world I have further explored this interest in matters of international relations and conflicts. By doing so a foundation for further exploration was built.

However, it was during my last three years of studying Criminology that I realised that my actual deep-rooted interest was rather in political and international security in an ever-changing modern political climate. For example, throughout different modules I visited subjects such as political ideologies, genocide, media and conflicts and the emergence of white-collar crime, to mention a few.

Together with accessibility to great sources through libraries, professors and public lectures in the vibrant city of Cambridge, I slowly but steady realised that my true interest rather lied within international matters on security, conflict and relations.

While, as mentioned, the subject of criminology may have some features that links it with international relations and conflicts, I would argue that the true strength of having such a degree is the emphasis on seeing the ‘big picture’.

In order to understand any geopolitical issue, criminology likewise, it is crucial to analyse a wide selection of factors that might make an impact, for example political, ideological, economical, military, law, history, culture and so forth. My criminology degree saw a great emphasis on just this, namely to understand the complexity of different social issues, thus equipping me with the appropriate tools to undertake an MSc degree in Conflict studies or International Relations.

Per now, my aspiration is to pursue this interest in an academic environment and thus gain the skills, tools and knowledge necessary in a wide range of future options. My desire is that an MSc at London School of Economics and Politics combined with the opportunity to build networks would equip me with the necessary tools to build a career within international organisations that targets matters of international security or state and humanitarian development.

In particular I would seek a career in for example Interpol, UN, NATO or other NGOs such as Norwegian People’s Aid, or the Norwegian Refugee Council. I firmly believe that these mentioned organizations would accept only the highest grade of skills and knowledge on the relevant subjects, and LSE with its expert professors and great network of scholars could be the ideal institution for me to collaborate up with in the pursuit of the mentioned demanded expertise.

Despite little direct academic or professional experience in both the fields of International Relations and Conflict studies, I believe that my Criminology degree in partnership with a genuine interest and high ambitions is a recipe of success. To be supervised by the highly qualified staff at LSE with your reputation of excellence on political issues could prove to be inspiring.

Such a reputation attracts international students from all corners of the globe to London, which I think is a key aspect in the study of international relations due to the facilitation of different perspectives and ideas. Coming from Norway myself, I believe I can contribute with the perspective from a small but significant country when it comes to diplomatic and peacekeeping activity in conflict zones.

During my undergraduate degree I wrote my dissertation on religious radicalisation in Norway, and during my research I sourced documents that reinforced my idea of pursuing a masters and a career in international relations. I touched upon topics such as colonialism, war, foreign policies and religion, and I do believe that LSE not only covers these mentioned topics but also could introduce me to other relevant areas.

I am truly confident that this course will broaden my knowledge and understanding of global issues as a whole. Moreover, my strong work ethics and academic ability to study and contribute at a Masters level could be evident by my First Class classification on both my dissertation and degree as a whole.

For my master’s thesis I have yet to conclude on a specific subject. However, I have a greater interest in themes such as political and religious radicalisation, post-conflict state building and globalisation with particular focus on the Middle East as a region. I am especially interested in how a state’s failures and successes have the potential to influence the use of violence, particularly in non-nationstates, which is frequently seen in the Middle East.

My interest and passion for these subjects are not limited to academic point of view. I enjoy reading books on world politics, Middle Eastern culture and just now I am reading a book about ISIL and their extensive use of media as a source of ‘propaganda’.

Aside from academia, I enjoy several hobbies and activities. I have travelled in various regions of the world and I still enjoy the meeting of new cultures and people. This spring I am going travelling again, visiting different continents, however I dare to say the highlight will be my planned two months in Beirut, Lebanon. Here I intend to start on a basic Arabic language course, with the intention of getting a taster as to how the Lebanese culture and language go hand in hand.

In addition, as mentioned earlier, I am quite so interested in Middle Eastern culture, and I hope to get the opportunity to move there in the future, preferably in professional context. I also appreciate sports, particularly football but also hiking, climbing, martial arts and scuba diving, all of which I have enjoyed both at home and whilst travelling.

In addition, I was a member of Cambridge Union Society in which I attended several debates and lectures on global political issues, which only adds to several other public seminars and debates I have attended. I intend to put these interests of use when engaging in the campus activities and student culture in London. I highly value a vibrant student culture in which different personalities can unfold and express themselves through social, intellectual and sports societies.

In conclusion, I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that LSE can provide, and the idea of being a part of such a recognized institution is truly inspiring. On the risk of sounding pretentious, I do hope to be able to make a difference in our world, and I believe that the next step of achieving so is by starting my MSc in Conflict studies or International Relations at LSE.

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Would like some feedback on this? Never actually applied to LSE with this statement due to personal reasons. Still curious on the level of it though. Thanks

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Bangladesh protests updates: Sheikh Hasina quits, interim gov’t taking over

These were all the updates about the political developments in Bangladesh on Monday, August 5, 2024.

This live page is now closed.

• Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, has resigned and fled the country after weeks of deadly protests.
• In an address to the nation, the head of the army, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, says an interim government will be formed and urges people to trust the military to restore calm.
• Thousands of protesters have stormed Hasina’s residence in Dhaka, while many have taken to the streets of the capital to celebrate .
• Student-led protests that began last month over governmental job quotas expanded into a nationwide anti-government movement.
• The demonstrators have been demanding justice for some 300 people killed in recent weeks.

That’s a wrap from us

Thank you for joining our live coverage of the political developments in Bangladesh.

You can read our up-to-date news story here and our piece looking at what’s next here .

You can also take a look at our timeline, looking back at Hasina’s 15-year tenure here .

Our photo team has also compiled a gallery of the best images from today’s celebrations in Dhaka. You can see that here .

Here’s what happened today

We will shortly be closing this live page, but before we do, here’s a quick recap of what happened today:

• Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigns and flees Bangladesh after weeks of deadly unrest.
• Local media reports in India say an aircraft with Hasina on board lands at Hindon Airbase near New Delhi.
• Thousands of people storm Hasina’s official residence in Dhaka amid scenes of jubilation in the streets.
• The head of the army says an interim government will be formed and pledges justice for those who have been killed.
• General Waker-uz-Zaman urges protesters to stop the unrest amid reports of vandalism.

WATCH: Who is Sheikh Hasina?

Hasina became Bangladesh’s prime minister for the first time after her Awami League party won the 1996 elections.

On Monday, after weeks of protests, the 76-year-old resigned and fled the country. Here’s a look back at her life:

What will the new government look like?

Details of how the interim government will be formed are still sketchy, but Zaman said he is holding talks with major political parties, including the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

It is not clear if the military itself will take power as has been done in several military coups in the past. Student activists have said they would reject military rule.

“We cannot afford that. … We are really hoping that the army is able to keep the peace as well as introduce some kind of interim system that can deliver us back to democracy,” Professor Naomi Hossain of the United Kingdom’s School of African and Oriental Studies told Al Jazeera.

Zaman also said the deaths in the course of the weeks-long protests would be investigated as calls for justice grew.

“I promise you all we will bring justice to all the murders and injustice. We request you to have faith in the army of the country. I take full responsibility, and I assure you to not get disheartened,” the general said.

Our colleagues at the Al Jazeera Explainer team have put together an in-depth piece that looks at the root issues that led to the nationwide protests as well as why Hasina was an unpopular leader. You can read it here .

EU calls for ‘orderly and peaceful’ transition in Bangladesh

The 27-member bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, says the European Union “calls for calm and restraint” after Hasina’s resignation.

“It is vital that an orderly and peaceful transition towards a democratically elected government is ensured, in full respect of human rights and democratic principles,” he said.

A look at Sheikh Hasina’s time in office

An unprecedented day for Bangladesh

Reporting from Dhaka, Bangladesh

There’s been nothing like this. It’s unprecedented.

There are still thousands of people in the streets.

It’s also a sigh of relief because the whole country was in a standstill. For two weeks, there have been clashes and violence.

Even now, unfortunately, certain members of the crowd are committing vandalism.

Several TV stations were ransacked as was the house of the prime minister’s adviser and the prime minister’s home.

There have also been many reports of vandalism and looting, and the student leaders are urging people to calm down, to refrain from vandalising, avoid hurting others and have a sensitive attitude towards minorities.

Photos: People enter the prime minister’s residence after Hasina’s resignation

If you’re just joining us

Let’s bring you up to speed with the top developments over the past few hours:

• The head of the army says an interim government will be formed as he urges protesters to stop the unrest.
• He also pledges to meet the demands of the protesters and bring justice for those who have been killed.
• Protesters in the capital also vandalise a statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father and independence leader.
• Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport temporarily closes amid the unrest.

WATCH: Helicopter believed to be carrying Hasina leaves Dhaka

Our Newsfeed team has put together a video with the footage believed to show the departure of Hasina from Dhaka earlier in the day.

Watch it below:

Protesters have demonstrated a ‘selfless sense of justice’: BNP chairman

Tarique Rahman, the exiled acting chairman of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), says Hasina’s resignation “proves the power of the people”.

“Together, let’s rebuild Bangladesh into a democratic and developed nation, where the rights and freedoms of all people are protected,” Rahman posted on X.

Sheikh Hasina’s resignation proves the power of the people and will be an example for generations to come, showing how the courage of the people can overpower atrocities. Congratulations to the students and protesters from all sections of society. Their selfless sense of justice… pic.twitter.com/NJwIe8ACE8 — Tarique Rahman (@trahmanbnp) August 5, 2024

Photos: Celebrations in London after Hasina’s resignation

UK urges ‘swift action to ensure democracy prevails’

A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the government is “obviously deeply concerned by the violence we’ve seen in Bangladesh in recent weeks and that has obviously escalated in recent days”.

“The very significant loss of life, including of students, children and law enforcement officers, is completely unacceptable,” the spokesperson said.

“The right to peaceful protest must be protected and never subject to violence, and we call on the authorities to release all peaceful protesters and ensure due process is followed for those charged and prosecuted.

“We hope that swift action is taken to ensure that democracy prevails and accelerate the process towards peace and security to people in Bangladesh.”

‘Only way out is ensuring people’s participation in decision-making process’

Saad Hammadi, a fellow at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, says the perpetrators of “brutalities” in Bangladesh must be brought to justice and held accountable.

“The new government of Bangladesh has the opportunity to do this by proactively inviting the UN to form a commission of inquiry and extending its full cooperation with the procedure. The international community must press for the same to uphold global justice and accountability under rules-based international order,” Hammadi said.

He added that the success of the new leadership will depend on the trust and confidence it is able to build with the people of the country.

“The job of the interim and subsequent government will be extremely challenging to stop the free fall of the economy and recover the state at a time when even the global economic and political orders are extremely chaotic.

“The only way to get out of this volatile situation is by ensuring people’s participation in the decision-making process, transitioning to a democratically elected, transparent and accountable government at the earliest. ”

Protesters still planning to stay on the streets

Right now, people are still embracing the happiness.

Just a few minutes ago, an army patrol told protesters to go home, that the army was with them and that they should let the roads clear. They were saying the protesters were all protected and not to worry.

But people are still planning to stay on the streets even though it’s not as crowded.

What happens next depends on how the interim government is formed, who its members are and how acceptable they are to the public.

The immediate matter will be those in jail. Hundreds of people are injured in the hospital, and people want accountability for all the bloodshed.

The economy is in bad shape. Businesses were closed during the clashes and the curfew. There will be relief now because they can operate.

What is needed, however, is a big bounce-back. There is a reserve shortage of foreign exchange, and the country is struggling with high inflation. Many challenges remain for an interim government.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence attacked

Witnesses have told Al Jazeera that Rahman’s residence-turned-museum in Dhaka has come under attack.

The building’s floors and rooms were vandalised before being set ablaze.

A statue of Rahman in front of the building was also damaged while nearby buildings were set on fire too.

Additionally, the office of the president of the Awami League has been attacked.

No party leaders or activists were present at the time. Three staff members had evacuated shortly before the attack.

Revised job quota system following protests

LISTEN: Inside Bangladesh’s student movement

Our podcast series The Take spoke last week to several protesters to find out more about the student movement and its demands.

Listen below:

What’s next for Bangladesh?

After 15 years of Sheikh Hasina’s administration, it is not clear what comes next.

The country’s military chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman, said he would seek the president’s guidance on forming an interim government and promised an investigation into the deadly crackdown on student-led protests that fuelled anger against the government.

“Keep faith in the military, we will investigate all the killings and punish the responsible,” he said. “I have ordered that no army and police will indulge in any kind of firing.”

As Hasina boarded a military helicopter with her sister, thousands of protesters celebrated in Dhaka, waving flags as the news broke, while others looted her official residence, carrying out furniture and even fish from the kitchens.

“[It is an] end of a regime that delivered a lot of development but was increasingly authoritarian, as we saw with the mass killings these past weeks,” said Naomi Hossain, a research professor at the London-based university SOAS.

The country has seen interim governments in the past, Hossain told AP, adding that for now the hope is that the army will ensure peace.

But there are fears of reprisal violence. “It could get ugly if the army isn’t able to calm people down and defuse the issue. It could be a while before we are out of the woods,” she added.

3G, 4G networks reinstated

Grameenphone has reinstated 3G and 4G networks, allowing people in Bangladesh to access mobile internet services across the country, Norwegian telecom operator Telenor has told Reuters.

Telenor is Grameenphone’s largest shareholder.

Sheikh Hasina lands at Indian airbase: Reports

Local media reports in India say that an aircraft carrying the former prime minister of Bangladesh has landed at Hindon Air Base near New Delhi.

Hasina was on board a Bangladesh Air Force aircraft which landed at the base in Ghaziabad, India Today news channel reported.

Dhaka international airport shut for 6 hours, army announces

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will be closed for the next six hours following today’s events.

Local media have reported that the Inter-Services Public Relations confirmed the announcement of the airport’s closure.

Who is Sheikh Mujibur Rahman?

• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born in 1920 in Tungipara, which was then India but now Bangladesh.
• He studied political science at the universities of Calcutta and Dhaka.
• In 1949, he cofounded the Awami League, a party now led by his eldest daughter, Sheikh Hasina.
• Bangladesh became independent in 1971 after a nine-month war against what was then West Pakistan, now Pakistan .
• Rahman was kept in jail in Pakistan during the war and was freed in 1972 amid a global outcry.
• He returned to the country and became its first prime minister in January 1972 and then president in January 1975.
• On August 15, 1975, Rahman and most of his family members were killed by a group of army officials.
• Sheikh Hasina, along with her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, were the only survivors of the attack.

WATCH: Protesters hammer statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father

In Dhaka, the statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father and the country’s independence leader, has been hammered with an axe by protesters celebrating the prime minister’s resignation from office.

Watch our video report below:

Who is Bangladesh’s army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman?

Just over a month after becoming Bangladesh’s army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman has been thrust into the limelight.

Today, he announced the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is believed to have fled the country.

Here are some facts about Zaman:

• Born in Dhaka in 1966, he is married to Sarahnaz Kamalika Zaman, the daughter of General Muhammad Mustafizur Rahman, who was army chief from 1997 to 2000.
• Zaman holds a master’s degree in defence studies from the National University of Bangladesh and a master of arts in defence studies from King’s College, London, according to the Bangladesh Army website.
• Prior to becoming army chief, he served as the chief of general staff for just over six months, a role in which he oversaw military operations and intelligence, Bangladesh’s role in UN peacekeeping operations, and the budget, among other things.
• In a career spanning three-and-a-half decades, he has also worked closely with Hasina, serving as the principal staff officer at the Armed Forces Division (AFD) under the Prime Minister’s Office.
• On June 23, at age 58, he assumed the duties of army chief for a period of three years – the normal tenure for the position.