The Scholar Who Never Stops: Miriam Jiménez’s Career in International Relations and Research

When Miriam Jiménez was an undergraduate studying translation and interpreting, she earned a scholarship to study in Italy for a month. Until then, she’d never been outside her native Spain, but that first trip was electrifying.

“It was like a dream, honestly,” Jiménez said. “It was the first time I was with a lot of people from different countries, and we were all using Italian as the lingua franca. We were trying to use this language we didn't know. At the same time, we were learning the culture, but we were also learning from each other, from people from China, Mexico, Portugal, and Slovenia.”

Since then, Jiménez has become a true citizen and student of the world, learning, researching, and teaching in an impressively wide range of contexts.

Now, Jiménez is helping students in Schiller International University’s Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations and Diplomacy program do the same. Every experience she’s had along the way has been instrumental in preparing her for that task.

Diving Into Forensic Linguistics

Jiménez’s story starts in Madrid, Spain, where she grew up and began her undergraduate studies. After earning her first bachelor’s degree in translation and interpreting in 2007, she quickly earned a second bachelor’s degree in linguistics. Around this time, she had yet another impactful academic experience.

“When I studied the bachelor’s degree in linguistics, there were only two students,” Jiménez said. “It was me and another lady. She was a police officer and she introduced me to forensic linguistics.”

Forensic linguistics is a broad, multifaceted field that often involves analyzing speech, texts, and other forms of communication to solve a crime. Jiménez quickly took a liking to the field, joining her classmate for classes on the subject in the U.K.

“I love literature and Agatha Christie is one of my favorite writers ever,” Jiménez said. “I found myself in situations that are very similar to her stories.”

Jiménez said that jokingly, but it’s not far from the truth. Over the years, she’s analyzed threat and extortion letters, conducted forensic linguistic training with police officers, and served as an expert witness in court.

A Career in Curiosity

Forensic linguistics is only one of the areas that Jiménez has researched and studied. In addition to a doctorate in philosophy and language sciences, she’s earned degrees in gender studies, human rights, and early childhood education, among other fields.

As disparate as they may seem, these subjects all have one thing in common: “People,” Jiménez said. “I'm interested in everything related to people and how they speak, how they think, and how they organize themselves.”

Academically and professionally, this unyielding curiosity has taken Jiménez to some interesting places. She’s published research on everything from artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine to the linguistics of spam email, sharing her insights at conferences and other events all over the world along the way.

“Everything I have studied since my first bachelor’s degree has been mainly because I wanted to,” she said of her approach to education. “I just want to know more.”

Paying It Forward to a New Generation of Global Scholars and Professionals

As much as Jiménez is passionate about learning, she’s just as passionate about teaching. Much of her research has been focused on experiential learning, positive college leadership, and other topics that shed light on what goes into a truly impactful educational experience.

At the same time, Jiménez has been working in college education for about 15 years, using her expertise and research to serve students as both an instructor and an administrator.

“I'm not just a professor, I am an educator,” she said. “So I need to listen to students, accompany them, and support them.”

When Jiménez came to Schiller’s Madrid campus in 2024, she found a community that shared that commitment and her enthusiasm for learning on a global scale.

“I was in love with the campus and with the idea of everything being really international,” Jiménez said of her impressions of the school. “I keep learning all the time, because I find people from another country, so I need to learn new things to work with them. I feel like I can still grow at Schiller.”

A Hands-On Approach to International Relations

When she first arrived at Schiller, Jiménez worked part time as a high school engagement coordinator. In December 2025, she became the associate dean of international relations and diplomacy, a role that has her reviewing the curriculum, finding and retaining stellar faculty, and staying attuned to students’ needs.

“Now we are having a lot of ambassadors coming to campus to talk to the students, let them know more about their countries, and also what it is like to be a diplomat,” she said of the program. However, that’s only one career that international relations and diplomacy students prepare for in the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

“It just gives you the opportunity to work in whatever you want: multinational companies, but also institutions and NGOs. It gives you a sense of how things work,” Jiménez said. “Students get the skills and the knowledge, but they can actually work with people from any place in the world.”

A Never-Ending Love for Teaching

While her administrative duties and ongoing research keep her busy, Jiménez never misses an opportunity to get into the classroom and teach herself.

“When I'm in class, I’m recharging my batteries,” she said. “And then I go back to managing things and have all this energy.”

Recently, Jiménez taught Methods of Research and Analysis in the MA in International Relations and Diplomacy program. Her experience in international research adds invaluable insight into the nuances of not only conducting research but also actually using it in the real world.

“One of the things I tell my students is that the class is a secure place where they can trust each other,” Jiménez said of her classroom approach. “They can disagree and we’re all going to be respectful, and we’re going to see different perspectives.”

However, whether she’s in the classroom or managing the International Relations and Diplomacy program, Jiménez always has the same goal: to empower students to follow their own curiosities and go to new places. 

“I had support when I was learning, when I was starting new positions. I think that it’s just fair that I be that for them,” she said. “That’s one of the most beautiful things about my job.”

Learn Global Governance in a Global Environment

In Schiller’s MA in International Relations and Diplomacy program, faculty such as Miriam Jiménez teach students the research, policy writing, and global governance skills they need to have a real impact, regardless of what that means to them. However, classroom learning is only one facet of the curriculum.

Master’s degree students have the chance to move between campuses in Madrid, Spain; Tampa, Florida; Paris, France; and Heidelberg, Germany. In these environments, students can build a network of peers and mentors that help them grow in new directions. Students also have access to a wide range of fieldwork opportunities at embassies, private-sector organizations, and other organizations where they can put their skills to work even before graduation.

To find out more about our International Relations and Diplomacy program and our UNITAR partnership, as well as anything else, request information today. 

Recommended Readings

How the Schiller x UNITAR Partnership Expands Global Career Opportunities

How to Start a Career in International Diplomacy in 2026

Is an American University in Madrid Worth It? Career Benefits Explained