Change Around the World: Interview with Emma Jugganaikloo

By Emma Andrew

One of the most exciting, if not the most best, aspects about life is the great expanse of our planet. The variety of landscapes, climates, cultures, animals, and plants is almost indescribably wonderful and coalesces into the depth and miracle of Earth . As part of this series, I would like to interview those from all over the world, including remote corners of the planet that many might not have even heard about before. While many of us are sheltering in place, reading about the lives of those all over can provide us a mental escape and a kickstart for our imagination. Today we spoke to Emma Jugganaikloo, who is from the island of Mauritius. We previously met when I was living in a tiny, run-down beach house in Hawaii. She was my roommate, and we quickly became friends over the course of the months we lived together. Now she has returned to her family’s island home to work at The American Campus and recently began working at the University of Arizona’s campus in Mauritius.

Emma A: The United Nations has outlined 17 sustainable development goals that they aim to reach by the year 2030. One of them is "Quality Education" which sets the goals of achieving better education for children and adults around the world. Can you give us a brief description of the work you do in Mauritius and how you began your work?

Emma J: I began working at The American Campus remotely in 2018. I came to Mauritius in 2019 to prepare for the first semester of degree programs. The American Campus is a new university in Mauritius that offers American Higher education to primarily African and Asian students. I recently started working for the University of Arizona, which has a similar goal to bring American Higher education to Mauritius.

Emma A: Since you are working in higher education, what do you think is the value of achieving a college education?

Emma J: In addition to gaining skills and knowledge that will help students to be prepared for life after graduation, a crucial goal of Higher education is to engage students in critical thinking. Learning specific skills is important, but it is even more important that students embark on a journey of lifelong learning.

Emma A: For most of the readers, Mauritius is a very distant and unknown place. How would you describe the culture there, if you could sum it up briefly? What is the perception towards education in Mauritius?

Emma J: Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, off the South Eastern coast of Africa. It has a rich and vibrant culture, and is known for its diversity. The majority of the population is Hindu, followed by Christians and then Muslims. People generally speak Mauritian Creole, French, and English. Recently, public higher education in Mauritius was made free for citizens to study up to the undergraduate level. As the diversity of the nation would suggest, there are various educational systems present throughout Mauritius. There are many universities on the island, which make it an educational hub for students from all over the globe. Education in Mauritius has modernized over the past few years, and it will continue to do so as they adopt new models of teaching and engage with technology.

Emma A: How do you believe encouraging a higher education for more of the world's population would enhance the way we live?

Emma J: Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” And I truly believe that. If people are more educated, they will have a more holistic understanding of the world, which generates productive conversations, empowers new ideas, and decreases poverty. Historically, not everyone had the means to achieve the same level of education, but as time goes on education becomes more accessible globally. Not every has the desire or need to pursue a higher education, but for certain people achieving that level of education can change their life and lead them to opportunities that would not have been possible otherwise.