Anna Brach
University degree: Master in Political Science
Job: Senior Programme Officer
Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)
How did you start your career?
I was fortunate to be hired as course coordinator of the New Issues in Security
Course at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, shortly after my graduation. This
position reflected both my interest in international relations and my academic
background.
Why did you choose to study at the Graduate Institute?
I was always interested in international relations and after a Master’s Degree in
Economics from the Warsaw School of Economics I decided to continue my studies
in Geneva at the Graduate Institute, because of the international and interesting
environment in which to study. I chose political science department as it offered an
interesting curriculum covering a broad range of issues
and an international faculty and student body.
Why did you choose a career at GCSP?
“The Graduate
Institute offers
excellent
networking
opportunities.”
I knew the GCSP from a fellow Graduate Institute
student who was interning there during our studies. I
applied for a vacant position as I heard that the GCSP
was an interesting organisation to work for. I was
motivated by the GCSP’s aim to train government
officials, diplomats, military officers, international civil servants and NGO staff in
pertinent fields of international peace and security.
In your opinion, what are the qualities necessary for a successful career at
GCSP?
GCSP is an executive training institution which hosts training courses, workshops
and seminars with participants from all over the world. Working with these
multicultural groups is both enriching and sometimes challenging. Participants are
asked to challenge their own ideas about security and to think “out of the box”. In
order to successfully interact with this audience one needs to be open-minded and
culturally and politically sensitive. Polyvalence, resistance to stress and multi-tasking
are also necessary to successfully work on various projects GCSP offers to its
stakeholders.
CP 136 - CH-1211 Genève 21 | +41 22 908 57 00 | graduateinstitute.ch
Did the Graduate Institute prepare you well?
The Graduate Institute prepared me well in terms of ability to think critically and
analytically about security issues. Its multicultural atmosphere prepared me for the
GCSP working environment. The Graduate Institute offers excellent networking
opportunities. In my professional life here in international Geneva, I continuously
meet fellow Graduate Institute alumni.
What advantage did the Institute give you from an intellectual point of view?
It definitely helped me to improve my analytical skills. Intellectual openness is also a
quality that I acquired during my studies.
How did you benefit from your position at GCSP?
There are three main benefits that I can identify after my 7 years working at the
GCSP. Firstly, I have considerably expanded my professional network. I have
worked with officials (both military and civilian) from countries and organisations
from most countries in the world. Second, having worked on a wide range of security
issues from human security subjects such as water, food, migration and climate
change to more traditional ones has widened my horizon intellectually. And last but
not least, and combining the two above, I do have more hope for the future
resolution of conflicts. The GCSP Alumni community expands from year to year. The
former participants are being promoted in their countries and in international
organisations. Their future decisions will be informed by the knowledge and skills
they acquire at the GCSP. This gives me hope for a more cooperative approach in
dealing with security issues globally, regionally and nationally.
CP 136 - CH-1211 Genève 21 | +41 22 908 57 00 | graduateinstitute.ch