For Akanksha Das, migration is more than an academic interest; it is embedded in her identity. Born in India and raised in Belgium, she draws on first-hand experience with cultural integration in her study of migration policies.
At UC Berkeley, Das will graduate this month with a bachelor’s degree in global studies, concentrating in peace and conflict, with a minor in public policy. Her academic work reflects a sustained commitment to examining migration through both global studies frameworks and personal experience.
That commitment extends beyond the classroom. Before and during her time at Berkeley, Das has worked directly with refugees and asylum seekers in Belgium, supporting more than 200 migrants through teaching, counseling and advocacy.
This fall, Das will continue her studies at the University of Oxford, where she will pursue a master of science in migration studies.
She recently spoke to Berkeley Social Sciences about her unique background story, work with migrants, and what comes next. The interview is edited for clarity.
Tell us about your background and why you chose UC Berkeley.
Akanksha Das: I was born in India but grew up in Brussels, Belgium where I attended an international school. Early on, I knew I wanted to leave Belgium, experience a new country and pursue a career in the social sciences and policy. Because I studied in English, I was drawn to attending an English-speaking university.
As I approached high school graduation, I applied to the Sciences Po and UC Berkeley dual-degree program. I was not accepted the first time and instead began my undergraduate studies at Sciences Po Paris in the Reims Campus. The program allows students to reapply while enrolled to the university, with the opportunity to transfer into the dual-degree program with UC Berkeley.
While I was at Sciences Po, I focused on maintaining a good GPA, and by my second year, I figured I had a shot. I was a little scared because I kept thinking, “What if Berkeley rejects me again?” But I reapplied and was accepted into the dual-degree program.
Columbia University also offered the dual degree program with Sciences Po, but Berkeley's history of political engagement stood out to me. I have deep respect for student activism, so Berkeley’s reputation was a major factor in my decision. At the time, I didn’t necessarily know I wanted to be politically involved, but I knew I wanted to be a part of a university with that kind of legacy.
Tell us about your major(s). Why did you decide to pursue that particular degree?
Akanksha Das: I’m a global studies major with a minor in public policy. Global studies is a very interdisciplinary major: it can be whatever you want it to be, which is why I liked it so much. The major requires a set of core courses, along with specialization in two streams.
One of those is a geographical stream, so I specialized in Europe and Russia. I’m from Europe and expect to return there in the future, so it felt more fitting to study the region that I’m from and hope to work in.
For the second stream, students choose among societies and culture, peace and conflict and global development. I chose peace and conflict because, by this time, I had already developed a huge interest in migration studies and had extensive experience working with refugees. The concentration felt most closely aligned with refugee work and policy.
I also pursued a minor in public policy because I wanted to better understand the policymaking side. As I mentioned, I hope to work in refugee policy, and combining global studies with public policy makes for the perfect precursor for what I plan to pursue next.
How has navigating multiple cultures shaped your identity, and how does that influence your work at Berkeley?
Akanksha Das: I don't necessarily know if my identity has evolved, but the way I talk about it definitely has. Growing up in Brussels, I didn't have to tell people that I'm from Brussels, so I would often say I was ethnically Indian. What’s interesting is that the question, “Where are you really from?” is not perceived in the same way in Brussels as it is in the United States. Here, it can carry an offensive undertone, and I understand the historical context behind that.
When I first came to the U.S., I would explain that I was ethnically from India but grew up in Brussels. Over time, I realized that many people here are asking where you grew up, rather than about your ethnic background, which differs from my experience in Europe.
My identity informs my work because this program has allowed me to experience multiple cultures. I studied in France at Sciences Po, lived in Brussels my entire life and now attend Berkeley. Every time I moved I gained a new perspective. Each place has shaped how I understand the world and how others interpret it. I bring those perspectives into my work, which has broadened the way I approach different issues. I no longer have a narrow view on things.
While I feel secure in who I am, the way I present my identity shifts to adapt to my environment. I’ve put everything I've learned about myself into the work I do here, but it's also because everything I've learned about myself – navigating identity across cultures – directly influences my interests in migration and refugee policy.
How has coming to UC Berkeley shaped your initial beliefs about migration, integration, and policy?
Akanksha Das: My beliefs haven’t necessarily changed, but my conviction has grown stronger. I have always been interested in migration because I am a child of immigrants. However, during my time at Sciences Po, I interned at a refugee center and met many refugees, where I saw firsthand the inequalities they faced in Brussels.
I later completed an internship in France, but the experience that had the greatest impact on me was my work at the Belgian Federal Reception Center for Asylum seekers. There, I worked with unaccompanied minors; children who fled war zones without adult guardians. That experience deepened my understanding on how migration works and how volatile it can be.
If anything, Berkeley didn't change my views on migration; it strengthened them and clarified my path towards policy and change. I would also add that the political climate in the United States has influenced my perspective. I arrived during the Biden administration, and the administration changed while I was here. As an international student, and as someone who lived in the International House last year, I've spoken with other international students and seen the fear of uncertainty that comes with being a “temporary migrant.”
As the United States’ stance on immigration becomes more complex, my commitment to migration studies continues to grow. It feels like a critical moment to take action.
What does graduating from UC Berkeley mean to you?
Akanksha Das: It’s bittersweet – that’s the best way to describe it. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be at Berkeley for the past two years and to study something that I love so much. It means the world to me, especially because there was a time where I had been rejected. I am grateful that I got to return, and especially in this way where I got to also experience another university.
At the same time, graduating marks the end, at least for now, of my time in California and in the U.S. I never intended to live in the U.S.; I came here purely for my studies. To me, graduation feels harsher because it's not just about leaving Berkeley – my life is completely changing.
What are your plans after graduation?
Akanksha Das: I have been accepted to the Master of Science in migration studies program at the University of Oxford, so I will be moving to England in October. I'm extremely excited to specialize further in migration, a topic that I hold very dear to my heart. Studying at Oxford has been a dream of mine ever since I visited the school when at 15, and I fell in love with the city.
In the meantime, I plan to take a short break after graduation to rest and recharge. I also hope to explore new hobbies and continue volunteering in migration-related spaces, potentially at refugee centers.
In regards to hobbies, I want to learn a new language. A professor recently recommended that I try to pick up Levantine Arabic to support my work with refugees, many of whom come from the Middle East and North Africa.
