Liesje Loomans

Project leader at ARCADIS

Liesje chose the Engineering and Policy Analysis (EPA) Master’s degree programme because she missed the analytical element in her Civil Engineering Bachelor’s degree programme: Why are we going to construct that road, build that bridge or reinforce that dike? The EPA Master’s degree programme offered her the opportunity to understand the backgrounds of different projects. What’s more, the course gave her the tools she needs to answer the question.  

“I'm working on two projects at the moment. The first entails the project management of a large-scale dike reinforcement. I created and implemented the quality system for this; I do the risk management and analyse the financial progress. The project is worth millions, so it’s very important to maintain control. I am also an environmental manager on a dike reinforcement project. A lot of people live and have their gardens literally in this dike. I have to ensure that good agreements are made that are acceptable for the people, so that we can continue with our project without too much protest from the local residents.”

“Projects like these are a good opportunity for me to use the skills I learnt during the course. I ask questions and peel back the layers of a problem systematically in order to resolve it.” One of the great things Liesje experienced during her Master’s was the exchange programme with the Harbin Institute of Technology in China. “It was a fantastic experience. China is such a different country. The friends that I made there have enriched how I look at the world. We discussed concepts such as freedom, democracy and the effect that your background and culture have on your opinions and assumptions. I really enjoyed studying in such an international group.”