Sandra Zapata Mafla - Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Q: Where is Sandra based?

Sandra is based in Udine, Italy .

Q: What languages does Sandra speak?

Sandra speaks the following languages: Spanish (Native), English (Advanced), Italian (Advanced), German (Intermediate), French (Intermediate), Korean (Elementary) .

Q: How many years of experience does Sandra have?

Sandra has at least 15 years of experience. During this time, Sandra has worked in at least 14 different roles and for 14 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 10 months . Note that Sandra may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Sandra's latest experience?

Sandra's most recent position is Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice .

Q: What companies has Sandra worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Sandra has worked for Ca’ Foscari University of Venice , Steuben Sprachschule Institute , Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit , and Sprachschule Aktiv Institute .

Q: Which industries is Sandra most experienced in?

Sandra is most experienced in industries like Education and Government and Public Administration .

Q: Which business areas is Sandra most experienced in?

Sandra is most experienced in business areas like Research and Development (R&D) , Customer Service , and Project Management . Sandra also has some experience in Operations , Human Resources (HR) , and Strategy and Planning .

Q: Which industries has Sandra worked in recently?

Sandra has recently worked in industries like Education and Government and Public Administration .

Q: Which business areas has Sandra worked in recently?

Sandra has recently worked in business areas like Customer Service , Research and Development (R&D) , and Human Resources (HR) .

Recommended expert

Udine, Italy

Experience

May 2025 - Present

10 months

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Ca’ Foscari University of Venice

Working in the Department of Comparative Linguistic and Cultural Studies, sector History and Institutions of the Americas
Project: “EU-LAC Relations in Times of US-China Confrontation: Explaining the Discrepancy between Pro-China Rhetoric and Pragmatic Actions of Peripheral Countries in Multilateral Forums”

Nov 2024 - Present

1 year 4 months

Erlangen, Germany

Language Teacher

Steuben Sprachschule Institute

Delivering Spanish for Business courses
Teaching Spanish for culture and travel

Mar 2023 - Dec 2024

1 year 10 months

Erlangen, Germany

Lecturer, International Business Relations

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Delivered lectures on International Business Relations (IBR)

Mar 2022 - Present

4 years

Bonn, Germany

Consultant and Land Analyst Trainer

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit

Training German experts and executives in international cooperation and development policies
Providing tailored information and analysis focused on the Ecuador case

Nov 2020 - May 2025

4 years 7 months

Nuremberg, Germany

Postdoctoral Researcher

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Researcher in the EU-funded Jean Monnet bi-regional project “The reconfiguration of the EU presence in Latin America (EUinLAC)”
Focus on EU-LAC relations in times of China-USA competition

Jun 2020 - Present

5 years 9 months

Nuremberg, Germany

Language Teacher

Sprachschule Aktiv Institute

Conducting training courses in Spanish for Business
Offering Spanish for culture and travel instruction

Nov 2017 - Feb 2018

4 months

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Advisor for International Cooperation

Dominican Institute for Integral Development (IDDI)

Fostered public-private partnerships aligned with national development priorities
Crafted collaboration projects with civil society, local government, and the private sector

Aug 2017 - Nov 2017

4 months

Hamburg, Germany

Visiting Researcher

German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)

Led research on South-South Cooperation in Latin American foreign policies: the case of Ecuador 2000-2015
Fostered academic and scientific collaboration with partner institutions

Jan 2017 - Jul 2017

7 months

Salamanca, Spain

Associate Researcher

Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO Ecuador)

Coordinated academic and logistical activities for the CEISAL panel “Regional processes in LA between rhetoric and pragmatism in the 21st century”

Aug 2016 - Nov 2016

4 months

Hamburg, Germany

Visiting Researcher

German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)

Received training in research methodologies in international relations

Jan 2016 - Dec 2018

3 years

Salamanca, Spain

Associate Researcher

Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO Spain)

Coordinated academic activities including seminars, symposia, CEISAL and ICA congresses, and conferences in Political Science under Dr. Manuel Alcántara’s guidance

Aug 2013 - Oct 2013

3 months

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Consultant

San Martín National University (UNSAM)

Led the “Dynamics of political and economic cooperation in Iberoamerica” project
Mapped national actors and government institutions involved in international cooperation in Brazil and Venezuela

Jun 2013 - Dec 2015

2 years 7 months

Quito, Ecuador

Project Coordinator of International Cooperation

Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)

Managed nationwide development projects across energy, health, education, and capacity building with a $20 million budget over four years
Negotiated, selected, executed, monitored, and evaluated projects
Led a team of four to oversee the Volunteer Program, Scholarship Program, and Expert & Professional Trainings

Feb 2013 - May 2013

4 months

Quito, Ecuador

Analyst for International Cooperation

National Secretariat for Higher Education (SENESCYT)

Led negotiations with bilateral and multilateral agencies
Formalized memorandums of understanding in science and technology
Ensured project alignment with Ecuador’s development priorities

Aug 2010 - Jul 2011

1 year

Quito, Ecuador

Consultant in International Cooperation

Technical Secretariat for International Cooperation (SETECI)

Facilitated the formulation of the Ecuadorian Strategy for South-South Cooperation
Assisted local governments in consolidating cooperation priorities
Coordinated national workshops to build a regional SSC agenda with LAC governments and organizations

Sep 2009 - Jan 2012

2 years 5 months

Quito, Ecuador

Research Assistant

Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO Ecuador)

Contributed to academic articles for Cooperamos and Línea Sur
Prepared reports on South-South cooperation and regionalism in Latin America

Sep 2008 - Aug 2009

1 year

Ecuador

Analyst on Migration

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador

Evaluated refugee status applications
Coordinated human rights workshops with UNHCR, NGOs, Jesuit Refugee Service, HIAS, and IOM

Industries Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.

Experienced in Education (11 years) and Government and Administration (9 years).

Education

Government and Administration

Business Areas Experience

The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.

Experienced in Research and Development (10.5 years), Customer Service (5.5 years), Project Management (4 years), Operations (3 years), Human Resources (1.5 years), and Strategy (1 year).

Research and Development

Customer Service

Project Management

Operations

Human Resources

Strategy

Skills

Iramuteq Software: Content And Discourse Analysis/ Text-as-data Methods
Geoda Software: Maps And Cartography In Social Science
Social Networks: Twitter In Social Sciences
Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook
Refworks: Database Management

Languages

Spanish

Native

English

Advanced

Italian

Advanced

German

Intermediate

French

Intermediate

...and 1 more

Education

Jan 2016 - Oct 2020

University of Salamanca

PhD in Social Sciences · Social Sciences · Salamanca, Spain

Aug 2011 - Mar 2013

Seoul National University

Master in International Development Policy · International Development Policy · Korea, Republic of

Sep 2009 - Jan 2012

Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO Ecuador)

Master in International Relations · International Relations · Quito, Ecuador

...and 1 more

Certifications & licenses

TOEFL 100/120

DELF B2

Dante Alighieri Certificate, advanced level

Profile

Created

August 2025

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Sandra based?

Sandra is based in Udine, Italy.

What languages does Sandra speak?

Sandra speaks the following languages: Spanish (Native), English (Advanced), Italian (Advanced), German (Intermediate), French (Intermediate), Korean (Elementary).

How many years of experience does Sandra have?

Sandra has at least 15 years of experience. During this time, Sandra has worked in at least 14 different roles and for 14 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 10 months. Note that Sandra may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Sandra be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Sandra would be well-suited for roles such as: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Language Teacher, Lecturer, International Business Relations.

What is Sandra's latest experience?

Sandra's most recent position is Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

What companies has Sandra worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Sandra has worked for Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Steuben Sprachschule Institute, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, and Sprachschule Aktiv Institute.

Which industries is Sandra most experienced in?

Sandra is most experienced in industries like Education and Government and Public Administration.

Which business areas is Sandra most experienced in?

Sandra is most experienced in business areas like Research and Development (R&D), Customer Service, and Project Management. Sandra also has some experience in Operations, Human Resources (HR), and Strategy and Planning.

Which industries has Sandra worked in recently?

Sandra has recently worked in industries like Education and Government and Public Administration.

Which business areas has Sandra worked in recently?

Sandra has recently worked in business areas like Customer Service, Research and Development (R&D), and Human Resources (HR).

What is Sandra's education?

Sandra holds a Doctorate in Social Sciences from University of Salamanca, a Master in International Development Policy from Seoul National University, a Master in International Relations from Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO Ecuador) and a Bachelor in Modern Languages and International Affairs from Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (PUCE).

Does Sandra have any certificates?

Sandra has 3 certificates. These include: TOEFL 100/120, DELF B2, Dante Alighieri Certificate, and advanced level.

What is the availability of Sandra?

The availability of Sandra needs to be confirmed.

What is the rate of Sandra?

Sandra's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.