The most meaningful journeys are often shaped not by a single career path, but by the courage to transform knowledge and experience into something that serves others.
For Dr. Saskia J.M. Harkema, a childhood spent across South America, an international corporate career, and years of academic research have all contributed to a purpose-driven journey centred on education, empowerment, human rights, and social change.
From gaining practical business experience at Philips to becoming a trainer, teacher, mentor, coach, researcher, and writer, Saskia has consistently followed her passion for working with people. Her dedication has extended beyond universities and professional environments to refugees, displaced individuals, and marginalised communities seeking greater control over their lives and futures.
Today, she brings academic insight, global experience, and empathy together to support entrepreneurship, grassroots peacebuilding, and meaningful participation in society. In this exclusive feature, Saskia reflects on the experiences that shaped her path, the work that gives her the greatest sense of purpose, and why authenticity remains more valuable than competition. Read on to discover a journey guided by knowledge, humanity, and the belief that people can become the heroes of their own lives.
A Childhood Shaped by the World
Although Dr. Saskia J.M. Harkema’s roots are in the Netherlands, her heart remains closely connected to South America. She spent her childhood and adolescence living in Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, experiences that significantly influenced her personal development and the choices she would later make.
Her parents sought a life filled with adventure, allowing the family to travel and cruise around the world. Growing up across different cultures introduced Saskia to diverse perspectives, communities, and ways of life from an early age.
At 18, she returned to the Netherlands to continue her education and has lived there ever since. She earned a master’s degree in sociology from Tilburg University before completing an MBA in business administration at the University of Bradford. She later received her PhD from Nyenrode Business University, where her research explored complexity and emergent learning in innovation projects and examined ways to improve innovation processes within organisations.
From the Corporate World to Education
Saskia began her professional journey as a consultant before moving into an international project management role for Europe at Philips Lighting. Her time at Philips gave her valuable, hands-on exposure to the business world, particularly in marketing and project management.
She describes this chapter as both enriching and educational. However, it also helped her recognise that she wanted to take her career in a radically different direction. Rather than remaining solely within the corporate environment, she felt drawn towards becoming a trainer, teacher, mentor, and coach.
After completing her PhD in 2004, Saskia began working with universities while developing her career in training and coaching. Over the years, she taught and worked with learners at bachelor’s, master’s, DBA, and PhD levels. Her academic experience has included roles at Utrecht University, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, and the International School of Management in Paris.
She also founded the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competence Center at The Hague University of Applied Sciences and developed programmes focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, organisational development, and diversity.
Empowering People Through Knowledge
Saskia’s teaching and training are defined by her passion for working with people. Her approach extends beyond delivering academic knowledge. She seeks to understand the individuals and communities she works with and help them recognise their strengths, possibilities, and capacity to create meaningful change.
Following a period of serious illness and burnout, she established the Faces of Change Foundation in 2011 and expanded her work as a human rights activist. Through the foundation, she developed programmes designed to support refugees, displaced people, and marginalised and disenfranchised communities.
These initiatives have helped participants become more actively involved in society, explore entrepreneurship, create employment opportunities, and regain control over their lives. Empowerment, leadership, change, and entrepreneurship remain central to this work.
Today, Saskia continues to work as a trainer and coach. Her commitment to human rights and supporting people whose voices are often overlooked has become an increasingly important part of her professional purpose.
Her current roles reflect the breadth of this mission. Through The Power is You, she works as a trainer, consultant, project manager, and researcher. She is also involved with Team Academy Amsterdam as a field expert and delivers professional development training through the London Premier Centre. Her experience allows her to work across educational institutions, nonprofit organisations, public bodies, private companies, and diverse professional communities.
Building Peace from the Ground Up
Among Saskia’s many accomplishments, one she values particularly deeply is writing Become a Peace Builder and Impact Leader. The book presents a bottom-up approach to peacebuilding by placing people and communities at the centre of the process.
Rather than treating peace solely as the responsibility of governments or institutions, her approach focuses on strengthening the fabric of societies and empowering people to contribute to lasting change within their own communities.
Saskia states that the work was endorsed by Geneva Peace Week in 2019. Since then, she and a group of collaborators have developed a training programme for trainers and worked with numerous individuals and communities.
Her writing also extends to the experiences of human rights defenders and people affected by displacement and conflict. She authored a book about Syrian changemakers and has written about human rights defenders around the world who face threats and persecution because of their work.
Through her research, writing, teaching, and activism, Saskia brings academic knowledge together with the lived experiences of people. This combination enables her to approach peacebuilding, leadership, and social change from both practical and intellectual perspectives.
Turning Experience into Social Impact
At this stage of her journey, Saskia is focused on giving back to people and societies by sharing everything she has learned, both academically and through the many personal and professional experiences she has encountered.
She continues to enjoy training and working closely with people, particularly in areas where knowledge and entrepreneurship can create wider social value. As a senior expert with PUM Netherlands, she contributes her expertise in entrepreneurship and incubation management to countries with fragile economies. Her international assignments have included work connected with India, Colombia, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Mali.
Her broader professional experience covers manufacturing, construction, information and communications technology, services, food and flowers, and other sectors. She has also developed innovative programmes, managed long-term European projects, conducted research across multiple industries, and contributed to numerous publications.
Whether she is working with entrepreneurs, students, professionals, refugees, or communities affected by conflict, her goal remains centred on helping people reconnect with their potential and become active participants in shaping their futures.
Authenticity Over Competition
Saskia does not define her professional position in terms of maintaining a competitive edge. For her, genuine distinction comes from authenticity, knowledge, and experience.
She believes that thorough knowledge of one’s subject is essential and that the value of meaningful experience cannot be replaced. When professionals bring these qualities to their work honestly, they naturally stand out, and people are more likely to gravitate towards them.
Her approach to teaching and training reflects this philosophy. She works with both her head and her heart, combining expertise with empathy and a sincere understanding of the people in front of her. She considers this one of the main reasons her teaching and training consistently receive excellent feedback.
For Saskia, aspiring professionals and entrepreneurs should begin by being authentic and remaining true to themselves. She encourages them not to imitate others but to explore their own potential, dreams, and passions, the things that genuinely make their hearts sing.
She also believes that conventional education does not focus sufficiently on individuality. A one-size-fits-all approach can cause people to lose their sense of self and overlook the qualities that make them unique.
Her message is therefore both simple and deeply personal: “Be authentic and, above all, be yourself. Live life like a hero, and become the hero of your own life journey.”
Conclusion
Dr. Saskia J.M. Harkema’s journey demonstrates how knowledge becomes most valuable when it is used to empower others. From her international childhood and corporate experience to her work in academia, entrepreneurship, human rights, and peacebuilding, every chapter has strengthened her commitment to helping people recognise their potential and take greater control of their futures.
Her work with students, professionals, refugees, displaced individuals, and marginalised communities reflects a belief that sustainable change begins with people. By combining academic knowledge with practical experience, empathy, and an understanding of diverse communities, she continues to create opportunities for learning, participation, and meaningful social impact.
As Saskia enters the next phase of her journey, her focus remains firmly on giving back and sharing what she has learned throughout her life. Her message to aspiring professionals and entrepreneurs captures the philosophy that continues to guide her: remain authentic, pursue what makes your heart sing, and have the courage to become the hero of your own journey.
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