Najamun Nisha Moideen Kunhi
Landscape Architect, InSite International – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
“What did I gain from the IDEA League Summer School? It showed I could push myself to new heights thanks to the leadership, negotiation and team-building skills that I learned on the programme.”
An Indian girl from a humble background but with big dreams. Growing up in vibrant Goa with its beaches and palm trees, she leaves for the opulence of Milan. It sounds like a movie! But it happened to me.
After finishing my bachelor’s degree in architecture, I was determined to go abroad and study for a master’s in landscape design. I achieved a top grade in my bachelor’s. The local authority awarded me a scholarship, and my parents pushed me to go to Italy, much to my delight.
Ping! One day, I received an email from IDEA League about its Summer School programme. “What a great way to spend the summer”, I thought. My dream came true – five days of learning and networking at TU Delft, a leading innovative university.
During my stay, I shared a room with three other girls. Delft city centre with its stepped façades, canals and bridges feels timeless, like stepping into an oil painting by Vermeer. Chatting and giggling until the early hours with my new friends from all corners of the globe, eating the blandest local fish dish I’ve ever tasted (and enjoying it), visiting Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven and sightseeing are all memories I hold dear.
“My confidence and self-belief grew from attending the workshops in Delft, but I dreaded one of the tasks – role play”
However, I was assured it would help me develop an aptitude for public speaking. In groups, we had to act out a scene, each of us being given a random character to play. So, we went out and about on campus to film. We all rolled around with laughter when we played the result back to the group. We couldn’t act to save our lives, but speaking in meetings now is a lot less daunting!
What I learned in those five days was encouraging, and it helped me to develop as a landscape architect. That once introverted student from Goa grew in confidence. What did I gain from the IDEA League Summer School? It showed I could push myself to new heights thanks to the leadership, negotiation and team-building skills that I learned on the programme. Having the Summer School on my CV indicates strength of character, personal ambition and an interest in new technologies and sustainability – key attributes international employers look for in urban designers.
Apply to one of the IDEA League Summer Schools if you wish to meet innovative thinkers and creatives working in a variety of design and technology fields from different countries and age groups. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime!