Diverse Minds, One Classroom: The YIF Program’s Unique Academic Blend

There is no other programme that I can think of in the different countries that I have been associated with where such a wide variety of disciplinary specialisations are represented at a postgraduate level within one course. Very often, this breadth of disciplines is seen in the early years of an undergraduate program in a liberal arts institution, possibly in the US, but very rarely, if ever, do you see this breadth at a postgraduate level. The quality of highly motivated students and faculty makes it a very fulfilling experience.

As a researcher and teacher, it is a real joy to interact with and teach the YIF fellows. Specifically, you get questions that you would never encounter when teaching an advanced disciplinary master’s program. When teaching an advanced master’s program in neuroscience or psychology, the questions are generally predictable. However, in a YIF program, you receive questions from people with diverse backgrounds such as literature, sociology, evolutionary biology, or even chartered accountancy. These unconventional questions compel us to think more deeply about our own discipline and change the critical lenses through which we view our work. It is truly inspiring.