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Discover what brought alumna Claudia Hitzeroth, from chemical engineering and applied biology to the Environment and Sustainable Development MSc, and why she chose to do this master's above any other.
About Claudia
Claudia Hitzeroth has travelled a varied route before arriving at the Environment and Sustainable Development MSc (ESD MSc) at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit. She studied Chemical Engineering and Environmental and Geographical Science & Applied Biology, participated in student protests, and worked for a South African non-profit organisation before unveiling her interests in participatory development.
Q&A with Claudia
What were your academic and professional interests and experiences before coming to the course?
I had quite a diverse academic and professional background, having studied a few years of Chemical Engineering before graduating with a BSc in Environmental and Geographical Science & Applied Biology. While setting out to be a conservationist, during my studies I became increasingly despondent at the lack of interdisciplinarity, particularly in my science courses. I distinctly remember a lecture on how to choose a piece of land for conservation purposes, where engaging with affected communities and people was a half-step tacked on at the end. This sparked my interest in inter- and transdisciplinarity.
A defining part of my academic career was definitely also being a part of three-years of student protests. The #FeesMustFall and #RhodesMustFall movements were formative for me and laid the foundations for my activism since. It was through this journey that I realised that social justice and people had to be the central part of any development journey.
Why did you choose the Environment and Sustainable Development MSc?
After graduating I worked for a local South African non-profit organisation advocating for indigenous peoples’ land rights and intellectual property. This time was formative in shaping my understanding of participatory methods that centre communities at the heart of their own development. While we mainly worked in rural contexts, it sparked my interest to think about how these participatory methods would be applied in an urban context in South African cities, which are inherently messy and ever-changing.
I was truly thrilled to find the ESD MSc, which perfectly combined all of my above mentioned interests (people, cities of the Global South, participatory methods, sustainability and development planning). It was the only master's course I ever applied to. I didn’t want to do a master's, I wanted to do this master's.
What aspects of your studies did you enjoy the most, and why?
My biggest learning moments were in discussion with my classmates. I remember that across the different master's courses at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit we were from over 55 different countries - most of us from the Global South. I enjoyed that the courses were structured in a way to allow and encourage peer learning. It was a truly enriching experience to learn from so many different contexts.
I also found a surprising passion and interest in housing and human settlements through multiple of the courses. While the courses were quite broad and diverse, I enjoyed the ability to tailor my electives and projects to the topic that interested me the most: housing.
How did you experience life as a student in London whilst studying on the course?
I loved London and had quite a welcoming experience, because most people I was interacting with (both in my master's course and at my residence) were also new to London. This meant that people were very open and also interested in exploring together - museums, walking, theatre, gigs, bars and all!
How soon after completing the course did it take you to find work, and what was your first role?
I started a paid internship with a local non-profit organisation in Cape Town called the Development Action Group (DAG) who have a focus on urban land and housing rights. I had completed all my coursework and the practice module, so I started working four days a week and finished my thesis in the evenings and over weekends.
Over the next four years I stayed with the NGO working on land and housing issues and worked my way up to the position of Project Coordinator. The organisation supports communities to advocate for their own development and housing needs. I coordinated a project working to improve urban land management and governance practices to enable more inclusive cities. In practice, this means I provided technical support to different cities across South Africa on how to manage and leverage public land to enable the construction of affordable housing. I was also coordinating multiple research projects, for example a recent one documented the release of municipal land for affordable housing in four different cities across South Africa.
I have worked across metropolitan cities in South Africa, such as Cape Town and Johannesburg. Recently, my work also included some secondary cities, as these are undergoing rapid urban transformations. Recently I moved to the Seychelles and am now operating as an independent urban development consultant.
What are your major career milestones since completing your studies at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit?
Overall, I have been contributing to research that has led to regulatory reforms and new urban policies in multiple cities across South Africa. In 2023 I was nominated to take part in an Innovation Fellowship for young leaders from the South African civil society sector. This was a formative and rewarding journey that shaped my personal leadership style and thinking around innovation for impact.
This year, a two-year research project that I have coordinated has been published by the Development Action Group, titled 'Releasing Municipal Land for Affordable Housing Documenting the experiences of Cape Town, eThekwini, Johannesburg and Tshwane'. The report sets a conceptual framework for understanding municipal land release for affordable housing in South Africa and has been a complex undertaking by multiple partners.
In 2023 I got the opportunity to present at the Beirut City Debates Conference, which was a true privilege. It was a real career milestone to be a part of a conference panel where Africa and the Middle East were highlighted as forerunners and innovators in terms of the application of land value capture.
Which parts of your student experience were the best preparation for your job?
Certainly learning to work with many different kinds of people from diverse backgrounds. Some course deliverables were in the format of presentations, which prepared me well for my professional life where many an important moment is a PowerPoint presentation.
What are your future ambitions?
I am looking to work increasingly across the African continent and nurture intercontinental collaboration. Within this I hope to further grow my ability to facilitate dialogue and collaboration across differences. I also hope to work at different scales. It has been a really rich experience working at community level but also elevating grassroots concerns to a city and national scale. In future I hope to work at an international scale, while remaining connected to city-scale and grassroots level work. To top things off, I'm also considering pursuing a PhD. Let’s see what the future holds!
What advice would you give to a student considering the course or looking to get into a career in your sector?
For the course: You are ready and have all it takes. Everyone is coming into this from a different background and there is no right background to have.
For your future career: Constant self-reflection is key whilst working in the development sector. I have grown significantly in multiple ways since I started in the sector. In time, I have definitely become better at failing, learning and innovating.
Where can people find more examples of your work?
- In the news: Enabling grassroots solutions to the urban housing problem (2023), Mail & Guardian
- Podcast: Capacitating the Small-Scale Rental Market (2023), Talking Transformation Podcast
- Conference Presentation: 'The role of Land Value Capture in financing inclusive cities: Civil society experiences of institutionalizing Land Value Captur in South Africa’ (2023), City Debates Conference, Beirut Urban Land, American University of Beirut
- Publication: Small-scale rental housing: Moving from the low to the high road (2022), DAG Publication
- Publication: Rethinking housing as an infrastructure of care in violent realities (2021), engagee Journal
Discover more about Claudia and what she's currently working on via LinkedIn.
Are you interested in studying the Environment and Sustainable Development MSc at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit?
Discover more about the course and the career opportunities it could unlock by visiting the UCL Graduate prospectus.
