Alumnus Craig Browne (Arabic and Middle East Studies, 2013) 

Catching up with alumnus Craig Browne

Alumnus Craig Browne (Arabic and Middle East Studies, 2013) works with the World Food Programme and recently set up a language school in Tunisia with his wife. Here he reflects on using a degree in Arabic & Middle East Studies including the skills and experiences it gave him in his career.

Craig Browne is a former student at the Institute of Arab & Islamic Studies, graduating in 2013 with a degree in Arabic and Middle East Studies, which included a year abroad in Syria. Since January 2016 he has worked for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Iraq, Libya & Palestine. He is currently based in Tunisia, where WFP's Libya operation is based, and it is in Tunisia where he co-founded a language school with his wife.

"After graduating from Exeter I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to do but I knew that a lot of jobs in international affairs require a Masters. After initially being waitlisted I was fortunate to get a place at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. My main advice to people graduating is to apply for lots of options and to take chances."

Following a two and a half year stint in the US, including six months working for a company doing analysis work on Syria, Craig joined WFP in Baghdad, where he supported the humanitarian operation with reporting and communications during the battle with ISIS over cities like Mosul in Iraq. After two years of this he moved to Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan to manage WFP's Syrian refugee programme. Since early 2019 he has been leading development work for WFP in Libya, where he focuses on job creation and agricultural support programmes throughout the country, and more recently in Palestine, where he has been working on similar programmes in both Gaza and the West Bank.

"The work is incredibly interesting and fulfilling, while often also very challenging. My time at Exeter definitely helped to prepare me for working in this sector, whether through using my Arabic in meetings, understanding the contexts I'm working in, or the basic skills I learned through being part of student society committees. I encourage everyone to get involved in these things while you are still at Exeter!"

In July 2021, Craig and his wife launched the Taa Marbouta Language Centre in Tunisia, where their team teaches a variety of languages: Modern Standard Arabic, Tunisian Arabic, Libyan Arabic, French, Tamazight & English. They have had students from a variety of NGOs, embassies, UN agencies, and universities, through both in-person and online classes. They are hoping to bring students from UK universities and other countries to study in Tunisia for the summer or for a semester, where they can also be linked with internship opportunities.

"In January 2022, we had a language exchange event with students from the Arabic and Middle East Studies Society at Exeter, and the Fawkes Student Club at the University of Kairouan in Tunisia. More than 30 students participated and the feedback was very positive. We're hoping to host similar events soon and would be happy to hear from anyone who wants to learn more about the language school."

Date: 22 February 2022