Mpiti Mosothoane, an alumnus of Ca’ Foscari, has embarked on a remarkable academic journey that recently culminated in the completion of his second Master's degree at the prestigious University of Oxford. His story is an example of the potential of international education and the profound impact it can have on one's career.
Presently based in the United Kingdom where he works in the international development sector, Mosothoane has devoted his professional life to effecting positive global change through passion and dedication.
Mosothoane’s journey to Ca’ Foscari began in 2017, when he moved from Lesotho to Venice in order to enroll in the Bachelor’s degree programme in Philosophy, International and Economic Studies. “I knew I wanted to study something interdisciplinary and I knew I wanted to study in Europe.” Attracted by the university’s PISE programme, Mosothoane made an initial visit to Venice which helped him to get a sense of the city and solidify his decision. “I managed to visit the San Giobbe Campus and one of the University libraries, and I was immediately enchanted by the city. I could really see myself living there,”
Reflecting on his first formative years at Ca’ Foscari, Mosothoane states “For me, being in Venice was a truly incredible experience. The opportunity to have lived and studied in a city so magnificent and so richly steeped in history and culture is something I will always cherish.” Mosothoane’s time in Venice also allowed him to forge valuable relationships and build connections with “some of the most eminent academics in Italy, like Professor Matteo Legrenzi and Professor Rolf Petri, scholars who are not only pioneers in their respective fields, but also educators who genuinely care about their students.”
During his stay in Venice, Mosothoane seized almost every opportunity offered by the university, leveraging our expansive international cooperation network and taking advantage of numerous extracurricular activities on offer. “Not many people are aware of the possibility to study at the Venice International University (VIU) while enrolled at Ca’ Foscari: I had the chance to do their Globalization programme which paved the way to an amazing Summer programme in China with 200 students from some of the most prestigious universities in the world. Another thing I really enjoyed about my experience at Ca’ Foscari, was the many guest lectures with Nobel Laureates: I got to meet around four of them as a student, which I think is amazing. During my years in Venice, my friends and I also founded an African student association with the aim of celebrating the cultural diversity of the African student population at Ca’ Foscari. Moreover, I played an active role in many cultural events such as ArtNight and VenetoNight as part of the Youth Board of Science Gallery Venice.”
During his third and last year at Ca’ Foscari, Mosothoane took part in the Erasmus+ Mobility programme, choosing the University of Tromsø in Norway as his destination - a decision that later helped him secure a spot at Roskilde University in Denmark “This institution has a strong political science orientation, and that’s the field I’ve always wanted to go into. I applied for the Master’s degree in International Public Administration and Politics when the Covid pandemic started, and even though all countries closed down, Nordic countries allowed their residents to move around. Thanks to this fortuitous coincidence, I managed to move to Denmark.”
But his academic journey didn’t stop there - the brilliant former Ca’ Foscari student was offered a full scholarship to study at the University of Oxford, this time choosing to delve into the field of African studies.
Throughout his academic journey, Mosothoane cultivated a solid knowledge foundation which opened the doors to prestigious internships at various international organizations, including most recently at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he worked in the external operations division, advising on logistics and strategic planning for the Court’s international presence. Mosothoane acknowledges the relevance of his undergraduate studies in his professional life, and credits the university for helping him to develop a robust work ethic, efficiency, and effective prioritization.
For his future, Mpiti has a clear mission in life: “I want to make a meaningful impact. We live in a world that is riddled with many problems ranging from climate change and global inequality, to war, poverty, and ever-increasing polarization on the international stage. If I can use my talents, abilities, interests and education to help solve even a few of these issues, I would consider myself fulfilled.”
Offering advice to prospective students, he encourages them to be focused and open-minded:
“Once you have done the introspective work necessary to determine the values and aspirations that are closest to your heart, then you must set the course of your direction and pursue it with steadfast diligence. Even with all of this, some elements in the equation of success are not entirely in your control, and for this reason you will require a bit of luck!”
