AFTER over seven years with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ms Iris Chen continues to cherish the many memorable moments of the job.

After all, how many can talk about a visit to the Pentagon, being part of the negotiations for the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and travelling in a horse-drawn carriage to the Imperial Palace in Japan.

Ms Chen, who was awarded an MFA scholarship, says it provided her the opportunity to serve in the public sector and learn about public policy-making. In addition, it allowed her to pursue further education at Oxford University in the UK and Stanford University in the US.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) from Oxford University, she spent the next year on a Master of Arts course in International Policy Studies (IPS) at Stanford University.

Says Ms Chen: "I decided to study at Oxford because I was interested in PPE, which is offered by only a few universities. The terms there were very intense - besides attending lectures, we had one-hour tutorials with the professors and wrote two papers every week, each with long read lists! On the other hand, Stanford had a more relaxed atmosphere.

"The best bit about this scholarship was getting to study and live in two different countries. I got to know friends from different countries and learnt from world-renowned professors. I also travelled and saw the world beyond Singapore. In fact, living abroad gave me a new-found appreciation for Singapore?s success and how unique it is in the international community of nations."

After completing her master's, Ms Chen started working at MFA as a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) in 2000. To help prepare her for the extensive responsibilities, she attended a four-week Foreign Service Basic Programme, which covered training in basics of Singapore's foreign and economic policy-making, effective writing, consular and protocol duties. It also included a visit to an Overseas Mission to study how these offices functioned.

As an FSO, she monitored and assessed political events and trends, and how these would impact Singapore. She also represented Singapore at regional and international conferences and meetings to protect and further Singapore's interests. Meanwhile, she had to develop a network of contacts and seek out opportunities to help raise the profile of Singapore overseas, and take on consular work occasionally to help overseas Singaporeans in distress.

Says Ms Chen, 30: "Our main challenge is to conduct an effective foreign policy given Singapore's limited resources and tiny size. How does such a small country stay relevant in a fast-changing world? It involves a lot of hard work and ingenuity, as well as close cooperation with other ministries and agencies."

As part of her career as an FSO, Ms Chen spent three-and-a-half years at the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo, which she says was a significant learning experience, both professionally and personally.

"For someone who had always been shy and reserved, I found it a tremendous personal challenge to cultivate contacts in a wide range of fields such as bureaucracy, media and business. Overcoming this hurdle helped me become more self-confident," adds Ms Chen, now an Assistant Director of Special Projects at Southeast Asia Directorate at the ministry.

What advice does she have aspiring scholars? "A scholarship helps get you in through the door, but after that, it is your own performance that determines your career progress, especially in a meritocratic institution like MFA. That said, it does open up a plethora of opportunities.

"Think long and hard about the responsibilities, benefits and costs of a scholarship. Consider whether a career in the public sector is suitable for you and whether you are ready for the lifestyle. For example, as an FSO at MFA, you alternate between a three-year posting at headquarters and overseas.

"For me, what's most interesting about my career here is being able to observe what goes on behind the scenes in the formulation of our foreign policy as well as seeing world leaders up close in action."

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Jan 19, 2008