“As a staff of Transparency International (TI) Nigeria who has been working on anti-corruption-related issues, my MACS journey at IACA provides a valuable theoretical understanding of anti-corruption that I can apply in my day-to-day tasks. This alongside the lectures from the most experienced anti-corruption lecturers complements my practical experience. Further, IACA has helped improve my academic research skills, which in addition to my grey research knowledge, has made me a very good researcher. Finally, the seamless delivery mode of the lecture has helped me as a working professional balance work with school while maximizing my time.

“Corruption is a problem that is common to all countries in the world. It is a phenomenon with so many nuances that often it happens that one might not know how to recognize it. When I joined IACA’s Masters in Anti-Corruption Studies (MACS), I only associated corruption with bribery. As I started gathering more information, I understood that although corruption has been widely discussed in the past few decades, there’s still an urgent need to educate citizens on this topic. For instance, people need to learn that favouritism isn’t just a way to help those closest to you, it’s a form of corruption. Citizens can’t complain about corruption and perpetuate it at the same time. All in all, studying at MACS helped me to analyze my country’s context with a new lens. Now, I am extremely excited to be able to debate and support the various people with whom I interact to understand the essence of corruption.

“IACA is an amazing place where people from around the world come together to learn, debate and research corruption which is one of the most challenging problems in our world. I am proud to be part of this vibrant community that tries in such diverse, creative, intellectual ways to improve the lives of so many people suffering from dishonest and immoral actions. Students at IACA receive high-quality education on the topic with a strong focus on different theoretical, empirical, and methodological perspectives and approaches that are "hands-on" and can be thoughtfully implemented in our daily lives.

“Recognizing the important role that Academia plays in the fight against corruption, as outlined by G20 countries, IACA sat with 40 individuals with extensive expertise in the field of combating corruption from G20 countries, & related IOs on a round table meeting, where they came up with a set of recommendations provided for the Ministers responsible of fighting corruption in their first-ever G20 Anti-corruption Ministerial Meeting. Therefore, I encourage anti-corruption bodies, civil society, and the private sector worldwide to benefit from IACA’s programs to build their knowledge in the fight against corruption.

“IACA brings together so many interesting people. They come from many countries, many backgrounds, and many organizations. Teaching such a diverse group is a great privilege for me, for in groups in which there is great diversity, ideas that come forward reflect that diversity. We learn best when different perspectives form part of our education, and IACA excels in providing an environment in which knowledge is transferred, and ideas are challenged.

“It is a true pleasure to teach the IMACC students. Our class discussions usually lead to valuable insights. Many students share personal experiences from their home countries. Hence, it is possible to teach truly interactive classes without compromising the course content.

“The IMACC program has enhanced my knowledge and perspective of anti-corruption compliance and collective action from a theoretical and equally, or perhaps more important, a practical way. The program has exposed me to a wide range of useful tools, measures, and approaches to address compliance and I have already implemented several of these in my job. IMACC is truly a global, diversified program due to its multidisciplinary approach and the variety of participants and lecturers. I have expanded my network with professional colleagues with various backgrounds and with world-renowned professors, lecturers, and practitioners from around the globe. Without a doubt, enrolling at IACA’s IMACC program has been one of the most rewarding experiences academically and professionally.

“It has been a unique experience where I have had the opportunity to have a solid learning structure, in a multicultural environment, focused on fighting against corruption. It was incredible how the institution got prepared for conducting the course entirely online, with such strong academic and technical support, which made me feel part of the campus, even though I was far from it. Highly qualified teachers promoted reflections and activities that enabled students to continuously understand corruption phenomena and the global challenges to fighting against it. It is a rigorous, inspiring, enriching programme that made me feel more empowered in my professional career.

“Firstly, appreciation goes to IACA for the opportunity accorded. It is a dream come true. My understanding of corruption has increased to a professional level, approximately 80% out of 100%. My knowledge has increased to a professional level in analyzing, assessing, and reducing corruption. The approach to combating corruption has changed automatically; I have been talking to my fellow professional colleagues about the negative impact of corruption and how to avoid it. The program has personally impacted my life. I carried out awareness of corruption in my community and among my friends.

“It am already two modules into the IMACC progamme and it is such a wonderful experience being a part of the IMACC 2019 class, which is a diverse group of international students from across five continents. Students include professionals with work experience from both the public and private sector. Everyone shares their different experiences during the in-class modules; this diverse pool of experience plays into the in-class debates and it has helped me to conceptualize and comprehend the different subject matters better. The academic team comprises of enthusiastic professors and lecturers who are industry professionals with wide-ranging experience on anti-corruption compliance and collective action. Lecture room delivery allows for in depth correlation of the different theories with practical cases and trends in the fight against corruption, from across the globe. It is enjoyable and though my work life is quite fast paced, the IMACC programme has allowed me the flexibility to do lots of personal reading and research on the study topics as part of the pre-module and post-module assignments. I am excited and already applying the knowledge acquired from IMACC thus far, as I continue serving my clients.

“Being part of the IMACC 2019 programme at IACA has been quite an enriching experience, both personally and academically. The IMACC class is an interesting series of intellectually stimulating debates and discussions on anti-corruption compliance and collective action. I have enjoyed being part of amazing group of intellectuals from diverse backgrounds but sharing one common interest, ‘fighting corruption collectively.’

“After studying conflict with UNITAR, the study of corruption with UNITAR and IACA fit together seamlessly. This master in anti-corruption (MACD) is a rare opportunity for me to be able to coordinate the cause and effect of conflict with the cause and effect of corruption, identify new strategies, and attempt to build the bridge between the two using diplomacy as the method. With so many global needs being prioritized, navigating my industry, oil and gas, has become chaotic. This holistic understanding of corruption and diplomacy permits us to remain focused and on task while constantly advancing our commitment to support a sustainable, peaceful world.

“From the first moment I became aware of MACD I knew it was the appropriate tool I needed to improve my professional performance and knowledge of diplomacy and corruption. Interestingly, MACD has positively surprised me regarding the high level of lectures and its scope that goes far beyond the aforementioned theme. For example, it has been amazing to attend the Conference of State Parties of UNCAC and clearly understand the various nuances of corruption and align it with the academic perspective or study cyber matters while I am currently involved in political negotiations on the future related international convention. It's fantastic!!”