Meet Justine Coutu, an accomplished MA graduate from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA), whose journey exemplifies the exceptional flexibility and opportunities offered by our program. Justine was drawn to NPSIA by its unique selling feature—the ability to design her own program that perfectly suited her interests and ambitions.
Being located in Ottawa, the political hub of Canada, also played a significant role in Justine’s decision to pursue her master’s degree at NPSIA. She knew that she wanted to explore a career in government, and the “Ottawa factor” made NPSIA the ideal choice.
She had heard through the grapevine that Coop Program at NPSIA was exceptional – roughly 90% of our students get placements! This further piqued her interest and solidified her decision to join the program.
During her time at NPSIA, Justine completed two co-op terms at Environment and Climate Change Canada, where she focused on climate finance. Justine had the opportunity to work on the implementation of Canada’s climate finance commitment of $5.3 billion (2021-2026). She also actively participated in climate finance negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.
In her final year, Justine chose to concentrate on the nexus between conflict, climate change, and development in her courses. She enrolled in a seminar entitled “Issues in Development in Latin America” (INAF5604) to gain a deeper understanding of development assistance flows, as a significant portion of climate finance is delivered as Official Development Assistance (ODA). Her final paper analyzed the effectiveness of ODA flows as climate finance. Additionally, she took the Selected Topics course: Climate Change and International Affairs (INAF5479) to expand her knowledge of international decision-making on climate action and the governing institutions.
“The highlight of the program was finding a Coop that I loved, and then meshing that experience with the coursework I was doing to get the most out of it”.
She now works full-time as a Policy Analyst for the Climate Finance Team at Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Justine journey at NPSIA is a testament to the program’s emphasis on flexibility and the invaluable opportunities it offers. Her ability to shape her own path and combine co-op experiences with coursework has equipped her with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact in the field of climate finance and international affairs.