Get to know Ayesha Afzal!

When did you do the IDA master?

2022-2025

How was the IDA Master helpful for what you are doing right now?

The IDA Master’s has given me a wide variety of skills and knowledge that I utilize in my role today. I am currently working in HR Learning Development where I create e-learnings and curate the learning management system for a multinational company. Keeping in mind employee behavior and adult learning theory, I lead learning initiatives where I get to perform a learning need analysis. It’s quite similar to the process of writing a thesis, where you start from a problem (a gap) that needs to be addressed and build around it. The IDA Master’s range of courses equips you for anything, from analytical thinking to creative solutions for niche problems.

What was your favorite course? And why?

I enjoyed the Individual Differences and Work Elective, the course was well-structured and quite engaging with the students taking lead in critiquing established theories within the field of organizational psychology. The fieldtrip was the highlight of this course, giving us an opportunity to see what working outside academia with our skillset could look like. Additionally, the internal traineeships were also one of the main reasons I selected the ReMa IDA program. I believe I learnt so much within each traineeship. The one-to-one meetings and brainstorming sessions allow you to be mentored by experts in the field and also really get to know the topic in-depth.

What was your favorite moment of the time as an IDA student?

While I have had many highs and lows during my time in IDA, looking back and seeing how much I learnt and grew in the span of a few years is my favorite moment. Even writing this message, I feel a sense of accomplishment that I got through IDA’s many trials and am currently at a place where I can proudly share my story with future IDA cohorts.

What can you advise current or future IDA students?

In this program, you are surrounded by opportunities. There is not single opportunity out of reach or unreasonable. And while this can be exciting, possibly daunting, do remember to take care of your mental health. I realized quite soon how my success was tied strongly to my mental health. Take your breaks, take your time to maybe travel and recoup after a stressful exam or course. And remember to celebrate every win.

What did you do in your international traineeship and how did you like it?

I found an AI-research summer school in Udine, Italy. It was four days of theoretical and practical applications of AI in all fields imaginable. It was fascinating to learn how deep neural networks are being developed to mimic human-like decision-making by replicating brain activity. We also learnt about LLMs and how they are programmed. It was quite technical but they also showed us how to program a LLM using Google Colab (which is quite beginner friendly btw). I chose this summer school as it was closely related to my interest in further understanding AI adoption in different fields. However, we also do not dive into AI research within IDA (yet), so it was the perfect place to start. Few months after this summer school, I got an internship where I had to develop an AI literacy training for employees (diving into the fundamentals of AI, machine learning, deep learning, Generative AI and Agentic AI). Safe to say, the summer school prepared me well for this opportunity.

Are you still in touch with other alumni students?

Yes, I am glad to have been a part of the most lovely cohort of students, both international and Dutch. Even a whole year after graduating, we keep in touch and find time in our busy schedules to catch up over drinks or dinner. While IDA is an intensive (sometimes stressful) program, I would say that an amazing circle of friends can go a long way in supporting your journey.

Did you know from the beginning what you want to do after your master? How did you find out what you would like to do?

Honestly, no. As research master’s students, we are constantly reflecting and learning about our strengths and opportunities that compliment our strength. Initially, I was hoping to do a PhD, but I soon realized that that wasn’t what I wanted to do in the long run. My skills are more suited to short-term projects, so I started looking into project management within HR-related roles. With my interest in organizational psychology, and my thesis which explored employee attitudes towards AI adoption in the workplace, I was able to find my way into the corporate world. So, my advice would be to keep your mind open to everything you learn during your master’s and choose what’s right for you.