Ahmed came to the MSt in Creative Writing at University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) later in life, juggling full-time work with a desire to explore his creative voice. With a background in journalism, history, and digital humanities, he hadn’t studied literature since high school or written creatively in any serious way.
“I came to creative writing later than most,” he said. “While I felt like I had some natural ability, I was, in many respects, wholly out of my depth when it came to understanding the craft.”
The course offered the structure and flexibility he needed as a mature, working international student. “It felt tailor-made for someone like me: in search of guidance, structure, and inspiration to achieve his goals.”
Ahmed credits the programme with helping him build a rigorous and sustainable writing practice, and with introducing him to a supportive creative community. “Just as meaningful as the coursework and sessions were the conversations that continued after class, over dinner, or at the pub,” he said. “Pep talks during times of creative self-doubt; these moments helped me feel like I was part of a vibrant community.”
During the course, Ahmed gained recognition across genres. He won the Cambridge Creatives Screenwriting Competition, placed second in the First Pages Prize for Creative Nonfiction, and was shortlisted for the Cambridge University Poetry and Prose Prize. He attributes this range to the programme’s emphasis on experimentation and exploration.
“There was a time in my life when an institution like the University of Cambridge felt as remote and inaccessible as a distant planet,” he said. “As I received my Master's in the Senate House, I felt like I was living a different story: one in which I belonged here.”
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