Alumni return to Tongji University

On May 11th, 2019, the UNEP - Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD) held its Third Homecoming event, bringing together various professors, current students and more than 20 Chinese and foreign alumni from 11 different countries. The event commenced with key note addresses and a brief history of the college’s humble beginnings from Professor Jiang Dahe one of the “founding fathers” and former director of office for IESD as well as the Executive Vice Dean of the institute, Professor Li Fengting.

Ms. Shen Jiaqi, the Director of the International Education Program proudly shared the Institute’s achievements over the years and expressed the hope that IESD would continue to generate a high caliber of graduates that foster continued cooperation between Tongji University and the United Nations.

At the event, the alumni shared experiences during their tenure as students at IESD, internships and job search expertise, as well as insights on effective career planning. They further advised on transitioning smoothly into the workplace upon completion of the program and highlighted the advantages of enrolling in a culturally diverse program like IESD.

The challenges faced in the workplace as compared to those of campus life were broken down by some of the alumni and current students were encouraged to accumulate experience accrued from participating in IESD events such as the International Student Conference on Environmental Sustainability as these set the stage for a well rounded professional who is better equipped with the necessary tools for success in the professional world. This year’s homecoming brought together alumni from China, Australia, Grenada, Italy, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Rwanda, Serbia, Liberia and Nepal who are now working in international agencies such as the World Bank, United Nations Planning and Development Agency as well as architectural design institutes, research institutes, environmental institutions and environmental protection companies.

IESD alumni are currently, active in international organizations (such as the World Bank, UNDP, ESCAP, etc.), national government agencies (such as the Chinese Ministry of Ecology Environment, the Turkish Environment and Urban Planning Ministry, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Zambia, Egypt Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, Serbian Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources of Ukraine, Ministry of Environment of Romania, Ministry of Economy and Trade of Indonesia, Ministry of Agriculture of Zimbabwe, Ministry of Energy of Liberia, Ministry of Environment of Ethiopia, etc. , NGOs (such as WWF), academic institutions (such as Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Wisconsin, University of Missouri, Tongji University, etc. ), corporate departments (such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Bank of China, Michelin tires, etc. ) and other industries .