Jing Kai Teo
I’m a passionate and empathetic individual who’s always open to new travel and food experiences. As well as traveling, I love reading, photography, hiking and being outdoors. Professionally, my aim is the continuous exploration of the nexus of psychology, education, the environment and politics; much of the discourse around climate change is focused on transitions and adaptation, but what’s equally critical is the emotional well-being of people reacting to climate change. My focus is on building up climate resilience to adapt to environmental displacement, channeling ecological grief or guilt towards solution-oriented action, and deploying psychological counseling techniques to alleviate climate-related anxiety.
"The partnership with the United Nations System Staff College is a wonderful, firsthand opportunity to position myself towards promoting sustainable development at a greater impact at an international level."
In pursuit of high ambitions on a practical and international program
If there’s one thing Jing Kai says he’s heard too frequently when talking to friends, family and even clients, it’s the question of what he’s doing studying and working in sustainability when his undergraduate degree was in psychology. The answer lies in his professional ambitions, and how he sees the connections between the disciplines; for Jing Kai, psychology, education, the environment, politics and doing social good are all intertwined.
Indeed, as part of his work as a sustainability consultant prior to coming to IE University, he curated educational programs to raise environmental awareness among local communities, while providing his clients with benchmarks for best practices in carbon accounting . While studying for a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in education studies, his initial experience was in education, volunteering as an instructor working with at-risk young people in a nonprofit organization in supporting their academic needs.
It was a course he took in conservation psychology that set Jing Kai on his current pathway, and he wrote his thesis on environmental communication discourse. Having interned at a local government public housing administration, he began working in sustainability consultancy once he’d graduated. His focus there was very much on sustainability, as he wrote ESG policies for sustainable procurement and worked to drive compliance with sustainability reporting standards.
He felt, though, that he lacked the avenues to lead decision-making on an international level, and there remained within Jing Kai “a lingering desire to tackle environmental challenges at a global scale, and drive positive change globally.” It was the enthusiastic response of a friend who had lived the IE Experience through an exchange program that brought him to our Master in International Development. “What stood out to me was his enthusiastic mention of the community spirit and the international diversity that IE University had to offer,” he tells us. “The strong academic standing of the university also demonstrates the robustness of its academic program.”
The partnership between IE University and the United Nations System Staff College, joint designers of the program content, was also a big draw for him. He describes the collaboration as “a wonderful, firsthand opportunity to position myself towards promoting sustainable development for greater impact, at an international level.”
“The program offers a unique, once-in-a-life-time experience for you to flourish as a person with opportunities to learn from others.”
Jing Kai also cites the specialization tracks built into the master’s program, which enable him to enhance his social awareness and environmental action experience. The program, he says, allows students to choose their own research projects, under the guidance of a tutor, whether that’s as part of their thesis or a practical project with an international organization. His outstanding work has not gone unnoticed; he has been awarded the IE High Achiever’s Scholarship, a recognition he describes as “heartwarming.”
He describes the experience of working with classmates from all around the world as “delightful,” and he has particularly enjoyed gaining the inside knowledge of the faculty—which includes sector professionals and UNSSC staff—into the inner workings of transnational organizations. Jing Kai has certainly made the most of the wider opportunities available to him too, having participated in the MENA Climate Week event in Saudi Arabia in 2023.
This was, he says, a unique opportunity to network with industry leaders and sustainability professionals, and a chance to engage in discussion on climate solutions ahead of COP28, which took place in the United Arab Emirates soon after. He’s partnering with CrowdFarming for his Capstone Project, looking to tap into the potential of regenerative agriculture and carbon capture.
Asked for his advice for anybody considering our Master in International Development, Jing Kai’s response reflects the talent, diversity and global vision of IE University’s entire student body. “Showcase your story,” he urges. “Never doubt the value of your own experience and voice. The program offers a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience for you to flourish as a person, with opportunities to learn from others. By actively sharing your opinions and stories, it also adds value to your learning journey adventure.” We couldn’t agree more!
