26th February 2026
Different Memories, Shared Futures: Why Inclusive Remembrance Matters for Serbia and the Region
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14th September 2017 Science and Innovation Network
Influence Through Impact: 10 Years of the UK Research Councils in China
Ten years is a fleeting moment in the history of the Research Councils but this Sunday is a special day. 17th September 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Research Councils’ China Office. Between 2007 and 2017, British researchers were awarded 17 Nobel prizes spanning Physics, Economics, Chemistry, Physiology and Medicine – […]
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12th September 2017 Geneva, Switzerland
The Power Of The Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council of the United Nations is just a political forum, powerless to do anything to stop the worst human rights violations around the world. This was the argument put to me at a briefing last week. We were discussing the session of the UN Human Rights Council that began on Monday. I […]
11th September 2017 Geneva, Switzerland
Back at the Wheel
It’s been a summer of car-related mishaps. The Swiss do many things well, though they must be among the best in the world when it comes to handing out speeding fines. I managed to pick up two tickets for going 1km and 2 km an hour over the limit and to add insult to injury, […]
11th September 2017 Vienna, Austria
Instagram competition winners
This summer, the British Embassy in Vienna has been running a competition on Instagram (do follow!). Our theme: the UK and Austria. We received 167 fantastic entries. You can see them on Instagram by searching with the hashtag #UKinAustria. After a Stakhanovite effort, with a team of us striving to decide between numerous powerful pictures, […]
11th September 2017 Tripoli, Libya
Behind the Scenes: Visiting Libya
Two weeks ago we arranged a visit to Libya by our Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson. We went to Tripoli, Misrata and Benghazi. This followed a visit in May, when he visited Tripoli and Tobruq. These visits involve careful planning and a lot of preparation. Working with colleagues in London and with the Libyan authorities, we […]
10th September 2017 Skopje, North Macedonia
We need to talk about NATO in Macedonia
I spent Macedonia’s Independence Day climbing Bushava mountain, a stunningly beautiful peak near Krushevo with 360-degree views. I wasn’t alone – some 200 of us had joined up at the invitation of the Ministry of Defence and the NATO Liaison Office in Skopje. In inviting us to Krushevo, they were looking for a different way […]
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7th September 2017 Abuja, Nigeria
Chevening in Nigeria – A Programme Officer’s Perspective
I took up the Chevening portfolio in September 2015, a decision I have never regretted making. My passion for Chevening is so intense; I’m often asked if I’m an alumnus. Saddled with the task of administering and promoting this programme year-round in Nigeria, I find myself selling an opportunity that I know is absolutely priceless […]
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6th September 2017 Vienna, Austria
The Charles Stewart Conversations
An ambassador punches a horse and gets involved in a fight with the coachman. Two hundred years later, another ambassador in the same city initiates a series of discussion evenings named after his predecessor. Why? Lord Charles Vane-Stewart, Third Marquess of Londonderry, was the first British Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Emperor of Austria […]
28th August 2017 Beijing, China
Goodbye to China! (for now)
I keep saying it, but I can’t believe how fast the past four years has gone. It’s been a non-stop whirlwind but it’s been a great pleasure to lead the UK’s science and innovation relationship with China during these exciting times. When I started the Newton Fund didn’t exist and now it stands at £360m […]
23rd August 2017 Science and Innovation NetworkKuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Newly-extended Newton-Ungku Omar Fund paves way for greater UK-Malaysia science collaborations
The banners were up, halls were ready, agenda ready to run. This is it – the Newton-Ungku Omar Fund Open Day, the Fund’s landmark event in Malaysia. The UK and Malaysia are strong partners in various fields – science and innovation collaborations under the Newton-Ungku Omar Fund banner being one of them. Since its inception […]
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