Gosia Pearson

Gosia is an Assistant to the Director-General in the European Commission’s department responsible for humanitarian aid and civil protection (DG ECHO), where she helps design and implement emergency assistance that every year reaches over 120 million people in 80 countries worldwide.

Before joining DG ECHO, Gosia worked in the European External Action Service, where she was responsible for the EU’s human rights policy. Gosia holds a PhD in international relations and has extensive academic experience, including as a research associate at the Law Faculty of Oxford University, and as an author of articles on European affairs, humanitarian aid, and human rights. She was selected to the EU Diplomatic Programme and the Talent Pool Programme of the Women in Leadership Network, and was named a Young Professional Leader by the German Marshall Fund. In 2016, Gosia was responsible for organising the EU’s participation in the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit where she represented the EU.

What made you apply for a Chevening Award?

I applied for the Chevening Award for two reasons: first of all, because it is a very prestigious recognition of achievement to date and future potential, but also because it is an invitation to a very unique network of people with great aspirations.

The University of Oxford cultivates academic excellence and there are few others that could match what Oxford has to offer in terms of academics, facilities, and student life.

How do you feel your Chevening experience has influenced where you are now?

The Chevening experience has greatly influenced where I am now; in fact, I think it paved my way to Brussels. It prepared me for the European civil service exams in two important ways: firstly, through the academic programme, I increased my understanding of the complexities of European politics and, secondly, living in a multicultural environment helped me to appreciate the importance of the different backgrounds, different perspectives, and different opinions everyone brings to the table.

What advice would you share with the next generation of Chevening Scholars?

Make the most out of your stay on the UK, take advantage of all that UK universities have to offer in term of academic programmes, but also invest time in getting to know the country, the people, creating friendships, and networking. These are equally as important as getting excellent marks in your exams.

Follow Gosia on Twitter