Jaanvi Joshi

Profile

Before coming to Heriot-Watt, published author and writer, Jaanvi Joshi, had received more than 150 awards, including twice being named ‘India’s Youngest Poet.’ Building on these impressive achievements, Jaanvi’s time at Heriot-Watt became a story of discovery. Pursuing an MSc in Economics, Banking and Finance was more than an academic decision, it was a journey shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a desire to understand the systems that influence people’s lives.

Moving from India to Scotland opened her world to new ways of thinking, learning, and connecting, while volunteering, community engagement, and the support she received along the way helped Jaanvi grow not only as a student, but as a person.

Discover Jaanvi’s story below:

What programme did you study and why did you choose it?

I studied MSc Economics, Banking and Finance, a decision shaped not only by ambition, but by curiosity about the invisible systems that quietly shape people’s lives, opportunities, and futures. Coming from a background in commerce and economics, I was always fascinated by the language of finance, how numbers, policies, and markets carry stories of growth, struggle, inequality, and transformation.

Choosing this programme felt like choosing a path toward understanding both the world and myself more deeply. I wanted to study within an international environment that challenged me intellectually, while allowing me to grow personally. Heriot-Watt offered more than academic excellence, it offered diversity, global perspective, and a sense of belonging that reached far beyond classrooms and lecture halls.

What were the key differences you found between studying in your home country of India and Scotland?

Studying in Scotland felt like stepping into a completely different rhythm of learning and life. In India, education often carries structure, discipline, and strong theoretical foundations. Here in Scotland, I discovered a learning environment that encouraged independence, critical thinking, and the confidence to question, discuss, and explore beyond textbooks.

But perhaps the greatest difference was emotional rather than academic. Moving countries teaches you resilience in quiet ways. It teaches you how to build a home within unfamiliar streets, how to find comfort in conversations with strangers who slowly become friends, and how to carry your identity proudly while learning from cultures entirely different from your own.

The multicultural environment at Heriot-Watt transformed my perspective. It reminded me that education is not only about degrees, but also about learning humanity through people.

Why did you receive the Principal’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community and how did it feel to receive this recognition?

I received the Principal’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community in recognition of my volunteering, student engagement, and contribution towards creating a more welcoming and inclusive environment on campus. Throughout my University journey, I dedicated myself to supporting students, contributing to cultural events, community initiatives, and creating spaces where people felt seen, included, and connected.

Receiving this recognition felt deeply emotional because behind the award existed a story filled with silent battles, homesickness, pressure, healing, and perseverance. There were moments when life felt heavier than words could explain, yet volunteering became my way of giving light to others while searching for my own. To be recognised by the University for those efforts reminded me that even the smallest acts of kindness can echo further than we realise.

Sometimes, the people who are quietly struggling are also the ones trying hardest to make others feel less alone.

Can you tell us more about the support you received as a student from student wellbeing services?

The support I received from Student Wellbeing Services became one of the strongest pillars of my University journey. As an international student navigating academic pressure alongside personal and mental health challenges, there were moments when simply continuing forward felt difficult. During those times, the compassion and understanding I received made an immeasurable difference.

I remain especially grateful to Michael from the Wellbeing Team, whose kindness and patience reminded me that support can sometimes arrive in the form of simply being heard. There is something profoundly healing about knowing someone sees your struggle without judgement.

The support I received taught me that strength does not always look like endurance. Sometimes strength is asking for help, allowing yourself to heal, and choosing to continue despite uncertainty. That experience changed me not only as a student, but as a person.

Can you tell us about any memorable moments from when you served as a Freshers’ Representative and as a volunteer?

Serving as a Freshers’ Representative and volunteer became one of the most meaningful chapters of my University life. I still remember welcoming nervous students during Freshers’ Week, students carrying excitement, fear, homesickness, and hope all at once. Watching them slowly smile, settle in, and begin creating their own stories at University became one of the most rewarding feelings I experienced.

I contributed to numerous events including Freshers’ Week, Global Day celebrations, Diwali and Holi events, chaplaincy meals, movie nights, game nights, open mic evenings, cultural society activities, and community engagement events. Each event carried its own energy, but what stayed constant was the sense of connection they created between people from different corners of the world.

Beyond University volunteering, I also carried experiences from my professional and creative background. Before joining Heriot-Watt, I worked as an Admin and HR Executive and became a certified soft skills trainer, corporate trainer, and POSH trainer, delivering over 150 training sessions with universities, banks, and organisations in India. These experiences helped shape my confidence, leadership, communication skills, and passion for supporting and inspiring others. I am also a published author and writer, having received the ‘India’s Youngest Poet’ award twice. I believe storytelling has always shaped the way I connect with people through empathy, communication, and understanding.

What advice do you have for current students?

My advice to current students would be to remember that University is not only a place where careers are built; it is also a place where people quietly rebuild themselves. There will be days when lecture halls feel heavy, deadlines feel endless, and life away from home feels lonelier than words can explain. But there will also be unexpected friendships, late-night conversations, small victories, and moments that slowly shape you into someone stronger than you once believed you could become.

Do not measure your journey only through grades or achievements. Measure it through the courage it took to keep going on difficult days, through the kindness you offered others while carrying your own struggles, and through the way you continued to grow even when life felt uncertain.

And most importantly, be gentle with yourself. Growth is rarely loud. Sometimes it arrives quietly, disguised as survival, resilience, and the decision to try again tomorrow.

What are you planning to do after you graduate?

After graduation, I hope to begin building my professional journey within the UK banking and finance sector, carrying with me not only academic knowledge, but also resilience, leadership, and human understanding shaped through lived experiences. I want to build a career where professionalism and empathy can exist together, where success is measured not only through achievement, but also through impact.

Alongside my professional aspirations, I hope to continue writing, mentoring, and contributing towards community initiatives that create meaningful change. In the future, I also aspire to pursue a PhD connected to economics, finance, or social development, because education, for me, has never simply been about qualifications. It has been a journey of becoming, of turning pain into purpose, uncertainty into growth, and experiences into stories worth sharing.