Sustainability Stories
Interview with Deborah Salanitro

In conversation with...

Why did you choose SUMAS?

I studied hospitality and had a very insightful class on business ethics, which made me want to pursue a master’s degree in sustainability. I started looking for a school and discovered SUMAS, which is the first school completely dedicated to sustainability. I also found that they had a campus in Gland and another one in Milan. This is also part of why I chose to do my master’s there – to be able to spend half of my studies in one country and the other half in the other one.

How was your experience doing one semester in Switzerland and one in Italy?

I started in Gland, which was very nice. It’s surrounded by nature, and the campus is amazing. It’s located next to the building where WWF and IUCN are based. It was really relaxing, I would say. Then I went to Milan, a vibrant city where there’s always something to do and see. The teachers could also provide us with different advice on how to explore the city. Milan is not too far from other cities in Italy, so I could travel a lot during my time there. It’s like experiencing two different worlds, but for me, it was very nice to see both and meet new people. It was a great opportunity to get to know the people in Gland and those in Milan.

Tell us about the projects integrated into the SUMAS courses.

During my studies, I had many projects with different firms from various industries, such as Dusit Thani, for whom I completed my master’s final project. The entire project aimed to develop a strategy to reduce food waste within the resort in the Maldives.

What were your favourite classes at SUMAS?

I had the class of Business and Biodiversity, which I really enjoyed. It was taught by a teacher who had extensive knowledge about this topic. I liked this class because it was highly practical and managed to consolidate all the information I had gathered from my other classes into one comprehensive course.

Another class I want to mention is Career Management. This class was particularly valuable for my future professional life.