How did you experience the transdisciplinarity of the masters?
I had that transdisciplinary experience in India during my fellowship at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, already before coming to Brussels. So, I knew that I was seeking that multi-disciplinary when I came in, and I think what really attracted me was that the master´s was spread across multiple departments and multiple universities. Because I already had a sort of technical architecture, planning and mapping background, I really wanted something that allowed me to do social studies and allowed me to explore environmental sciences. Once I arrived in Brussels, I realised that a lot of people had academic bachelor’s degrees. I really enjoyed that we were this mix of different backgrounds. In some courses, I would be leading my teammates, but in the other courses, they would be leading me. We sort of grew together, instead of one person having an advantage over the other; I think all the different backgrounds really gelled together.
"I really enjoyed that we were this mix of different backgrounds. In some courses, I would be leading my teammates, but in the other courses, they would be leading me. We sort of grew together, instead of one person having an advantage over the other; I think all the different backgrounds really gelled together."
Where do you work now?
am an independent professional based in India. I am primarily working for an agency called City Collab that is dedicated to creating knowledge products and outreach content for the Urban Development sector. The range of products and clients is varied but our goal is to support technical and impactful organizations put the word out about their efforts. Clients range from a sustainable infrastructure labelling system, housing justice NGOs to academic institutes. The common thread is that all organisations are dedicated to improved urban spaces. In parallel, I have also been engaged with the Hyderabad Urban Lab foundation on an informal-housing study, and an urban acupuncture project. It took me a while to find this balance in my work after my masters since I graduated during peak COVID. I left Belgium in October 2020, when the second lockdown was about to start, and came back to India to finish my thesis from home. I co-founded Lokal Habitat Labs in 2021 and also spent a year working with the government in India.
"While I was doing that heavy theoretical academic research, I was also seeing how that was being applied on ground. While in the classroom we were learning concepts, through my work, I was seeing how these concepts were used by AWB in their various projects with the government and other varied stakeholders."
How do you relate the work experience that you gained during the master´s to the work you have now?
During the master’s we had to choose two majors; I did Urban Geography and Urban Design and I had enough time to get a job at the side. I was working with Architecture Workroom Brussels; it was a part-time student job helping them to build a website. Instead of doing an internship, I ended up doing that, this really helped me to figure out the kind of work I wanted to do. While I was doing that heavy theoretical academic research, I was also seeing how that was being applied on ground. While in the classroom we were learning concepts, through my work, I was seeing how these concepts were used by AWB in their various projects with the government and other varied stakeholders. I think the process of working there was important to me, since what I ended up working in right now, is to also help organizations curate their work and talk about the practice they do on the ground.
Could you name a couple of skills that you gained during the master´s and that you now use in your current work?
An important skill that I have gained from Urban Studies is teamwork, working with people from different backgrounds. I am not sure if there is a single word for it; but being conscious about people from a political science background or from a philosophy background. Even though I am not in academia right now, I think I carry that with me; I am very critical and thorough when we are making statements. When coming back to India, I realised that a research background like Urban studies really helps in being sensitive to the needs and perspectives of different stakeholders.
I would like to say, though, that was not a smooth transition to come from theory to practice. For me it was also a challenge because I came back to India and Urban Studies is a very new field here; only a couple of universities in the country teach it. If you go tell people that you have done an Urban Studies Master's, few people recognize that immediately.. It takes a bit of time to figure out who you can work with and who understands the value of your education. Coming from an interdisciplinary background and going back to architecture for example, becomes difficult, because one, you cannot keep up with your peers and two, you are not really valued because you are not seen as an expert anymore. I think you just have to get comfortable with ‘Okay, I am not going to be an expert architect, but then what can I contribute to the field based on my interdisciplinary research experience?´. I think the value of Urban Studies is very inherent, I don't think it is very easy to publicize and talk about it.
What does the masters represent to you?
The masters was a rich two years of exposure and experience in Europe, and I made really close friends. I travelled to the UK this summer, after the master’s it was the first time, I went out of India again. This summer I met my friends from the master’s again, it really reinforced how important that experience was because it was the first time I was studying abroad and meeting people from across the world. I think the personal connections is the first thing that comes to my mind and getting exposure to departments in different fields. It is also the range of experiences I had through the master´s, from the field trips to the courses.
"An important skill that I have gained from Urban Studies is teamwork, working with people from different backgrounds. I am not sure if there is a single word for it; but being conscious about people from a political science background or from a philosophy background."
Are you still in contact with your cohort?
I think it is difficult to stay in contact, especially because I am so far away. I know a lot of people stayed around in Brussels. Everybody is part of the same network.
Could you name one key lesson that you take away?
I think the key lesson would be to be comfortable, but also open to adapting your own skill set. To be flexible in different settings but still be receptive to different perspectives and ways of thinking and yes: be flexible in your own skill set.
"A key lesson for me was to be flexible in different settings but still be receptive to different perspectives and ways of thinking and yes: be flexible in your own skill set."
How would you describe Urban Studies?
Oh, that is really difficult. Urban Studies is to look at a place or a process happening that is making the city from like five different ways. A skill that I picked up after the master´s was like the whole model of systems thinking. When I was doing these exercises in system thinking, I realized that my Urban Studies background helps because I have learned to identify systems of politics, systems of finance and systems of social order and unorder. Urban Studies is a multi-dimensional look at a place or a process, systems thinking for the city, I think that is what Urban Studies is for me.
