1st October 2026
A Year Too Big for Two Suitcases: Notes From a Chevening Scholar
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
11th May 2026
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: turning a global ocean agreement into UK law
9th April 2026
The Gulf, Berlin and the Commission on the Status of Women: building global alliances to advance women’s progress
28th January 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Syria: rejecting indifference
There has been war in Syria throughout Pope Francis’s pontificate. It has been the principal foreign policy concern of the Holy See since his election, and continues to be so. His Holiness has spoken out many times about the need for action to stop the war in Syria, and it is reasonable to suppose that […]
28th January 2016 Skopje, North Macedonia
Did you know expats will be able to vote in the EU referendum?
Are you British? If yes, then read on. I’m sure everyone in Macedonia is aware of the elections due here this year. I’d like to take a moment to mention the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union due to take place in the UK by the end of 2017. The actual date […]
Read more on Did you know expats will be able to vote in the EU referendum? | Reply
28th January 2016 Geneva, Switzerland
Davos: Big Short or Indispensable Summit?
No other international gathering attracts such mythology. The place where the world’s economic elite co-opts its political leadership. Or the best place in the world to discuss and solve global problems. The arguments for and against Davos rage every year. But it’s as popular as ever. BIG SHORT Just before this year’s Davos gathering, Oxfam […]
Read more on Davos: Big Short or Indispensable Summit? | Reply
28th January 2016 Melbourne, Australia
An inspiring student social enterprise – Vanora
Earlier this month I met again a great team of young Estonians who have being working hard to establish a social enterprise in their town of Viljandi, southern Estonia. Their student company is called Vanora, and there is a lot more about their company on their Facebook site . Their business model is simple – in return […]
Read more on An inspiring student social enterprise – Vanora | Reply
28th January 2016 Mumbai, India
Interview with Adam Williams, UK Intellectual Property Office
Adam Williams, Deputy Director – International Policy Directorate with the UK Intellectual Property (IP) Office visited New Delhi from 7-9 January. Amidst the flurry of meetings and high level engagements, I chatted with Adam about the emerging significance of IP in modern India. What brings you to India? Well, it’s a short trip really – […]
Read more on Interview with Adam Williams, UK Intellectual Property Office | Reply
28th January 2016 BCG Shanghai
SIN help launch the UK and China’s biggest research & innovation funding competition yet
As I write, 17 universities, research organisations and companies will be wending their weary way back to the UK after a week in Jiangsu and Guangdong that will hopefully remain an affectionate and inspiring memory for decades to come. It could be that they have found their partners in China that will develop and launch […]
Read more on SIN help launch the UK and China’s biggest research & innovation funding competition yet | Reply
28th January 2016 Havana, Cuba
Flooding in Havana – a sign of things to come?
Havana is a beautiful, evocative, charming, intriguing city. Yes, many buildings are in desperate need of repair and the holes in the roads need filling in but the city has a faded, pastel-coloured splendour that provides a stunning backdrop to many a photo snapped by a tourist or a Saturday night party on the Malecón. […]
Read more on Flooding in Havana – a sign of things to come? | Reply (3)
26th January 2016 Havana, Cuba
What Britain’s future doctors are learning in Cuba
Health services everywhere are under pressure, so perhaps there are lessons to be learned from Cuba, where, to quote Cubans, “We are a poor people but we die of rich people’s diseases.” British medical students have an opportunity to see for themselves during their ‘elective period’ – a few weeks when they can study where […]
Read more on What Britain’s future doctors are learning in Cuba | Reply (13)
26th January 2016 San Francisco, USA
BLOG: Unlocking Value through Strategic University-Industry Partnerships
This guest blog entry was written by Tomas Coates Ulrichsen who is part of the Center for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (CSTI) at the University of Cambridge. If you are involved in strategic university-industry partnerships, you are invited to contribute to ongoing research by completing the questionnaire available at the end of this blog piece. Overview […]
Read more on BLOG: Unlocking Value through Strategic University-Industry Partnerships | Reply
26th January 2016 Jerusalem, Israel
We must not forget Area C
It has been another hard year for the community of Fasayil. Located in Area C of the West Bank, the community faced the demolition of 17 structures last August. The demolitions left 48 people without homes. Like other communities in Area C, Fasayil’s farmers face severe restrictions on access to farmland and irrigation. The village’s […]