Guillermo Toral
I grew up in Madrid, where I lived until I graduated from college. Growing up, I was always curious about different ways of looking at the world, which eventually led me to live abroad. I’ve spent 14 years living in other countries including France, the UK, the US and Brazil. Being part of the IE University community allows me to live back in my hometown. I’m fortunate to be able to continue growing professionally, all while staying close to family and giving back to the society that gave me all sorts of opportunities while growing up.
“Growing up, I was always curious about different ways of looking at the world, which eventually led me to live abroad.”
At the intersection of ideas, research and change
After spending his childhood in Madrid, Guillermo Toral was ready for an adventure. He was searching for exposure to a variety of disciplines—from law and philosophy to political science and more—and chose to study for a bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration. Eventually, his curiosity for unique perspectives and worldviews led Guillermo to live abroad, where he spent the next 14 years.
Since his early 20s, Guillermo has lived in many different countries: France, where he spent one year studying at Sciences Po; the United Kingdom, completing a two-year master’s degree in comparative government; the United States, moving there first to work at the World Bank in Washington D.C. and later earning his PhD in Political Science from MIT; and Brazil, gaining hands-on experience through fieldwork and collaborating with policymakers.
These experiences abroad, and the lessons he gained through them, made Guillermo more passionate about exploring the intersection between ambitious ideas, rigorous research and social change. That’s why he firmly believes that institutions like IE University are the best place to pursue this study. Guillermo notes that although we often think of academia as separate from the real world, higher education plays a pivotal role in society. The ideas, research, education and innovations that are produced within university walls have unparalleled potential to shape the actions and the impacts of governments, firms and nonprofits alike.
Guillermo has tried to apply these learnings in his own professional career. Right before joining IE University, he was a tenure-track professor at Vanderbilt University in the US, where he spent two years doing research and teaching various courses on corruption and international development among others. And before that, prior to starting his PhD, Guillermo spent several years working on education policy and programs at the World Bank. Those years proved to be incredibly formative, giving him in-depth insight into the daily challenges that policymakers face, and how credible and relevant research can help them make better decisions that ultimately improve human development.
Now an assistant professor at IE University, Guillermo feels right at home. He chose the university to further his professional development mainly because he admires its orientation toward both research and practice. Additionally, Guillermo finds IE University’s international profile extremely enriching. As a scholar who has lived in five countries and speaks four languages, he fits right into an institution where he is constantly hearing different languages and being exposed to different points of view.
After many years, Guillermo is happy to be back living in his hometown of Madrid—a factor that played a big part in his final decision to come to IE University. Not only is he back home with his family, but he also gets to continue his professional development while contributing to the community that gave him all kinds of opportunities growing up. Plus, Guillermo can now further develop his research agenda focused on government accountability, development, corruption and public service delivery.
“One thing I love about our programs is how it trains students in a variety of lenses with which to look at the social, political, and business world.”
Guillermo teaches a class on Public Policy Analysis. In it, Guillermo combines the theoretical intricacies of policy making and evaluation with a practical look at specific policy challenges and solutions from real cases around the world. In the end, the class helps students sharpen their data analysis skills, which are not only useful to students who want to work in government or international organizations, but also to those who will pursue careers in corporations, start-ups or nonprofits.
For Guillermo, IE University gives students a variety of lenses through which to look at the social, political and business world. It gives them the tools to understand and change reality, as well as a solid multidisciplinary basis that makes for more well-rounded analysts, policymakers and entrepreneurs.
To thrive as a student at IE University, Guillermo believes that you have to be predisposed to challenge your own beliefs, build new skills and engage with different points of view. His advice? Start expanding your worldview and question received wisdom, be it through reading widely, learning languages or traveling.
“Growing up, I was always curious about different ways of looking at the world, which eventually led me to live abroad.”
