Getnet - from Student to UN Employee

In 2017, Getnet Megesha Asrat, at that time a student in the Master's Programme in Business Studies at Dalarna University, received the Global Swede Award during a ceremony in Stockholm. Since graduating, he has gone on to find employment exactly where he had hoped: with the UN.

I joined the UN/World Food Programme in Liberia and after working there in the HR field for almost a year, I returned home to Ethiopia to work for another UN agency,The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). I believe that my study time in Sweden has something to do with my being noticed by the UN. So I must say that the almost 10 months that I was at Dalarna University was indeed a fruitful time for me as it helped me tick off one of my must-do's on the life list that I have - that is to work for the UN. Who knows what will be next... maybe PhD studies.

Global Swede Award

The ceremony in 2017 at which Getnet was recognised for his approach to his studies and his collaboration with fellow students was held in Stockholm and was attended by Annika Rembe, Director-General from the Swedish Institute, and Ann Linde, Minister for EU Affairs and Trade, who presented him with the award.

Getnet was recognised for the following:

Getnet Mengesha Asrat came to Sweden seeking new skills and life experiences. He found both and in the process made friends from the world over. He combines practical knowledge with theoretical explanations based on well-analyzed, interesting empirical cases (e.g. succession planning at Heineken Ethiopia). He helps his peers improve their work through relevant, insightful feedback. Further, his critical-thinking and innovative approach to viewing research problems is of benefit to his thesis project Negative Aspects in CSR Reporting. We are proud to nominate him as our Global Swede.

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