Ten years ago, Samuel Emmanuel Nasser came to Norway as a refugee. Now he's taking a master's degree to pursue an international career.
"One of the things that motivated me to take this master's is its international focus," says Samuel Emmanuel Nasser.
He grew up in Chad but fled to the neighboring country of Cameroon as a youth. A few years later, he came to Norway as a refugee, where he ended up in Jæren. Now, he is halfway through his master's in Community Development and Social Innovation at VID Stavanger.
"First, I completed a bachelor's degree in social sciences at VID. When I finished, I got into five different master's programs across Norway," he says.
The thought of moving once again was not appealing.
"I already knew VID and this master's was a natural continuation of what I'd learned at the bachelor's level. Besides, this programme is well-suited for those who, like me, want to work with people," he says.
Learning to include everyone in the process
Nasser highlights that how one works with community development is one of the most important things he’s learned during his studies.
"If you're going to achieve something when working with people, it's important that everyone is included in the process. In the field of community development, we learn that both users and planners play an important role. Social problems are complex. Therefore, they must be met with comprehensive solutions," he explains.
As an example, he mentions how The Church City Mission in Stavanger works with people who struggle with drug addiction, by giving them a sense of agency when working with and running the street magazine Asfalt. This is one of the projects that the students have visited during their studies.
"I also like how the master's programme links community development with social innovation. This master's actually gives you two degrees in one," he says.
Hoping for an international career
Nasser also underlines the diversity of job opportunities the programme provides.
"When I'm looking at job postings, there are many positions that fit my skills well, both nationally and internationally," he says.
If he could choose, he would prefer to work for the UN Refugee Agency.
"There I can combine my own experiences as a refugee with what I have learned at VID. I would prefer to work abroad, but there are also many opportunities to work with refugees here in Norway," he says.
International study environment
The students who are enrolled in the master's programme in Community Development and Social Innovation come from all corners of the world.
"It has become more expensive for foreign students to study in Norway, but we are fortunate because we get to meet students from other countries through various projects. A majority of the students come from countries outside of Norway," he says.
"When we're working together in groups, we get perspectives from different countries and cultures. It's very educational," he adds.
He believes that experience will be beneficial in most jobs.
"We live in a multicultural society. This programme gives you the intercultural competence you need."
Important to maintain the community
VID is a relatively small college. Nasser thinks that gives the students at VID an advantage.
"We're lucky to have close contact with our lecturers. You don't have to sit in an auditorium with hundreds of other students. At VID, you are both seen and heard," he says.
He also promotes the opportunities for student exchange.
"For example, you can write your master's thesis in South Africa," he says.
The number of conflicts in the world is on the rise. Nasser believes it's important that more people learn about what community means.
"Community is about fellowship, about standing together no matter who we are and where we come from. It was seen clearly during the pandemic, how what happens in another place affects us here. We're in the same boat, and therefore we must also work together," he says.