Help Anca Go to Oxford

IN SHORT

I am asking for help to raise €35,000 to cover the tuition fees for the first year of my MPhil in Development Studies at the University of Oxford.

I am deeply fascinated by the nexus between security and development and, at Oxford, I plan to research the particularities of the informal economy and its possible role as fuel of economic recovery in post-conflict contexts. At this point, more than 60% of the

world’s working population is part of the informal sector and this situation is often associated with lack of social protection, inexistent rights and precarious working conditions. However, in some contexts, the informal economy represents the only way to recover after a shocking event. At the Oxford Department of International

Development, I wish to understand the role of the informal economy in post-conflict reconstruction and, beyond Oxford, help design better development policies.

However, given the high cost of attending the University of Oxford (tuition fees and living costs for the two years amount to approximately €100,000), funding my degree would be impossible without some support. Because of this, I have started a GoFundMe campaign with the purpose of raising €35,000 - the equivalent of the first-year tuition fees. If I fail to provide evidence by June 30 that I have enough funds to cover the cost of the first year of the degree, the university will withdraw my offer.

I am, thus, asking for your support. With your contribution, I am confident that I can start my journey at Oxford in October.

ABOUT ME

I’m Anca and last year I graduated from the University of Amsterdam with a BSc. in Political Science, with distinction (honours and cum laude), having followed a

specialisation in International Relations and two minors in Conflict Studies and Violence.

I was born and grew up in a small village in southern Romania in the post-communist environment of Eastern Europe, aware of the poverty, inequality, and weak governance of the region. So, the interest in tackling social and political issues was instilled early in me. I could say I have always carried this need for making a big impact but it was during high-school when I received a scholarship for a summer school in International

Relations and Global Economy at Stanford University that I got the final push towards the field of world politics and international development.

Since then, world issues and crises have constantly been in my mind. During my second year of university I took a course on Violence and Conflict which led me to post- conflict reconstruction and the nexus between security and development. I was instantly hooked! Although complex and exhausting, I cannot imagine myself studying anything else. Oxford now comes as the most logical step I could take next for the career I wish to build in international development.

WHY DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AT OXFORD?

The Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) is recognised as a leader in development studies for research and teaching excellence. Development Studies is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary subject, with the MPhil at Oxford providing a critical introduction to development with a focus on the Global South. It combines views from economics, politics, history, social anthropology and other fields to understand processes of social, economic and political change and tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges - from poverty and inequality to armed conflicts and environmental degradation.

Considering the reputation, award-wining professors, teaching excellence, and groundbreaking research of ODID, there is no better place where I could pursue my interest in development and security than at Oxford. The programme wonderfully combines academic and practical work, offering the unique chance to do field work during the summer between the first and second year of the MPhil. This first-hand

experience, combined with the academic resources and network I can access through the University of Oxford, will allow me to transform my research interests into practical policy advice and will set me on the path to international development work.

WHY SUPPORT ME?

From extensively volunteering in high school to learning as much as I could about social issues at university, my actions have always been in the service of the least fortunate.

As mentioned, I was born in a small village in Romania. This gave me direct experience with phenomena that the entire world is trying to understand and fix - poverty, inequality, gender-based violence, corruption, human trafficking (Romania has one of the highest rates of modern-day slavery in Eastern Europe), economic migration and the list continues. Apart from resilience and ambition, exposure to these issues has also

instilled in me a desire to dedicate myself towards solving some of these big challenges.

The desire to pursue the MPhil at Oxford is the reflection of these ideals - what drives me is the wish to support development with the aim of changing for the better the lives of those most in need. Informal economies arise from conflict, underdevelopment and weak governance and in turn fuel violence, corruption, and perpetuate the state of

instability, thus creating a reinforcing cycle. By studying informal economies, my main goal is to contribute to breaking this cycle and enabling long-lasting development and prosperity. For this I need your financial support and I am hopeful that with your contributions I will be able to take my place at Oxford.

HOW WILL THE FUNDS REACH ME?



Because Romania is not currently supported by GoFundMe, I have asked Cas Van de Ven, a friend and fellow undergraduate student from the University of Amsterdam, to set up the campaign from the Netherlands according to the GoFundMe Regulations. Once the donations are raised, Cas will withdraw the money to his Dutch bank account and then transfer the money to my Romanian account. Before I am given access to the funds, GoFundMe will check my ID for security purposes. If necessary, I can also provide a proof of the transfer at the end of the campaign.

Please contribute and share! I will be forever grateful for every donation!