Today, September 26, 2023, is International Relations Professional’s Day in Brazil. To mark the date, FGV News invited Pedro Augusto Sanita Boniatti, a fourth-year undergraduate student at Fundação Getulio Vargas’ School of International Relations, to answer some questions about the program and how he hopes to change the world through his chosen education path.

International relations means the study of how politics and economics shape the behavior of countries, companies, banks, media groups, international organizations, individuals and societies. A degree in international relations qualifies graduates to build their own career in the public or private sector, in Brazil or elsewhere.

The program aims to provide the necessary tools to help you make professional choices, in Brazil and abroad. “Working with different nationalities and cultures in wide-ranging contexts, international relations professionals have a responsibility to analyze and be attentive to different topics and not be limited to one country or subject,” says Pedro.

Being able to study related fields such as politics, economics and administration in a single program was one of the reasons why Pedro became interested in the area.

Check out the full interview below:

Why did you choose to study international relations?

I chose to study international relations because of the diversity of skills and learning that I knew the course would offer me. I realized that with my chosen degree, I would have the opportunity to expand my knowledge in areas such as politics, economics and administration in a single program.

In this way, I see that international relations students stand out, as their ability to analyze issues is not limited to any specific area of knowledge.

How does your chosen profession contribute to society?

As an international relations student, I am working at a strategic business consultancy. Here, I am able to apply what I learned in my degree to the economic development of companies and society. I work on projects in different countries such as Chile, Canada and the United States, and I have contact with different cultural views and understandings of relations between nations.

I realize how much my profession contributes to society when I can connect different cultures to build a common project for shared development.

How do you want to change the world through your profession?

As I carry out my professional activities, I realize how choosing a career in international relations helps me contribute to the development of people, companies and countries. Working with different nationalities and cultures in wide-ranging contexts, international relations professionals have a responsibility to analyze and be attentive to different topics and not be limited to one country or subject. This makes us capable of helping society as a whole, without being restricted to borders.

About Fundação Getulio Vargas’ School of International Relations

• Unique program in Brazil: The curriculum has a unique combination of theoretical, methodological, qualitative and quantitative pathways to prepare students for the global job market.

• Immersion, internship and foreign exchange program: The school’s undergraduate program features various international activities. During the course, students have several opportunities to take part in short and long-term exchange programs, including international immersions, and they can study for up to two semesters at one of our partner universities around the world.

• Complementary training in data science for international relations: This study program covers a range of specific courses for those who want to work with data in order to produce innovative and efficient solutions to problems faced in the world of work.
   
• Non-degree specialized graduate courses: Students who complete one of the complementary courses may, after graduating, take a set of additional courses and do a final assignment to obtain a specialized graduate diploma in an additional academic year.
   
• Career Center: The school offers a personalized service for students, aimed at equipping them with the necessary tools to build their own careers.
   
• Faculty: The school has some of the most renowned professors in the field of international relations in Brazil. Many professors have extensive experience working with the United Nations, the World Bank and various governments, as well as at private consulting firms and investment banks.

To find out more about Fundação Getulio Vargas’ School of International Relations, visit its website.

This article is part of a special series called Transforming the World.