Category Archives: Events

Events, Graduate Jobs, Skills development

Careers in Defence – Online Event for EMPFEST

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Join a panel of defence sector representatives, including Kent alumni, who will share their experiences about working in defence, discuss the opportunities available and the value that non-STEM graduates provide in their workplaces. Q+A with representatives from BAE, Dstl and Janes as well as Jack Radford (Military History), a returning placement student. Particularly suitable for Humanities/History, Business, Economics, SECL, SSPSSR, Psychology and all non-STEM

This event will take place on zoom and is bookable via Target Connect  https://careers.kent.ac.uk/leap/event.html?id=6743&service=Careers+Service

Students will receive 10 Employability Points for attending.

Ella Fleming – Senior Analyst in Dstl and Visiting Fellow for RUSI (Bsc International Politics, MA Conflict Security and Development) She has worked in Defence and Security for 3 years and has expertise in socio-cultural and regional analysis, intelligence analysis, gender in the armed forces and has experience in designing external outreach models and external partnership management. Her academic background includes a BSc in International Politics and an MA in Conflict Security and Development. She has recently finished her Visiting Fellowship at the Think Tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) working on the future of African Security and decline of UK influence, and will pursue a sponsored part-time PhD at Oxford University in October 2020 based upon this research area. Her interests include assessing emerging geopolitical shifts and trends that may cause conflict, sectarian violence or regional instability.

Martin Parr– honorary professor at the University of Kent and a senior principal consultant at Dstl. Martin Parr is an honorary professor at the University of Kent and a senior principal consultant at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Martin regularly teaches at the Defence Academy and on the University of Kent’s MBA programme.  Martin has worked with a number of government departments to establish key strategic initiatives. He has advised on the governance of UK government programmes that have annual budgets in excess of £1 billion, including the Ministry of Defence test and evaluation programme. Martin has co-chaired international research collaboration activities for NATO.

Rebecca Jaggon– Systems Engineer, BAE Systems (MA Control Systems Engineering). I have been a Systems Engineer at BAE Systems for 3 years, including a 2 year graduate scheme. In this time, I’ve worked on aircraft control sticks, heads-up displays and controls. Before this I completed a Masters in Control and Systems Engineering at the University of Sheffield, which gave me a strong background in modelling, a key part of my role. I also work a lot in requirements design and derivation. Whilst at university I had a job in IT; modernising databases for storing and automating the update of contractor information and rebuilding a company intranet. I also had a summer internship at BAE Systems working for 12 weeks on the development of Striker II, this led to being offered my graduate job with the company. Alongside my engineering role, I work in early careers and have taken on a role as a business representative in a national network for cultural and ethnic diversity.

Richard Blake –Procurement Graduate Scheme, BAE Systems (BA Business and Music). Richard Blake a second year Procurement Graduate at BAE Systems, based in Rochester, Kent. I studied at Canterbury Christchurch University reading Business and Music as a combined degree. I joined the company in September 2019 and have just started my third six-month placement throughout my two-year programme prior to exiting into a buyer role in the business. Outside of work I’m a keen musician, Trumpeter, as a member of the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment band as well as multiple amateur and semi-professional groups playing a variety of genres. I’m also a keen cyclist.

Sam Cranny-Evans– Editor of Janes Armoured Fighting Vehicles (BA War Studies at Kent). Sam Cranny-Evans is the editor of Janes Armoured Fighting Vehicles, his writing focuses on paradigms in modern land warfare, and how armoured fighting vehicles have evolved to meet those emerging demands.

Jack Radford– Defence Analyst, Dstl Professional Placement Year student (BA History with Professional Placement Year at Kent). Jack is a current student at the University of Kent studying History with an emphasis on Military, British and Russian History. He has recently completed a Year-In-Industry placement as a Defence Analyst with the Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory [dstl], an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-r-radford-uk-analyst/
https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/history/2020/09/14/student-profile-taking-a-year-in-industry/

Alumni, Employability Points, Events, Graduate Jobs, Politics, Skills development

POLIR Alumni Careers Panel for EMPFEST 21st October 2pm

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Listen to POLIR Alumni talk about their careers since graduation followed by a Q&A with students.

Wednesday 21st October 2020, 2pm – 3.30pm

Sign Up Here: https://careers.kent.ac.uk/leap/event.html?id=6731&service=Careers+Service

The School of Politics and International Relations online alumni careers panel followed by a Q&A session with students. The event is part of the University wide EMPFEST – focused on highlighting career options and opportunities to students.

School alumni sharing their advice, wisdom and experience with students looking to pursue a similar career.

Speakers for online POLIR Alumni Panel – EMPFEST

Scott Macdonald – Head of Good Governance Fund, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Sherah Beckley – Client Engagement Manager, Natural Capital Partners

Sulmaan Hanif – Business Development Director, Gartner

Rebecca Sangster-Kelly – Management Consultant, Chaucer

Kristina Block – Global Planning Editor, BBC News

 

 

Civil Service, Events, Politics, Skills development

Model NATO Student Opportunity with the FCO

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The School of Politics and International Relations has been invited to send four student delegates to represent the University at a Model NATO conference being run by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British International Studies Association.

Fifteen UK universities will be taking part in the Model and each university will represent two NATO members. 

You can find a report on our participation last year here: https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/polir-news/2019/12/10/model-nato-and-nato-engages/

Model NATO will take place online and will take place on one day in the final week of January 2021.

APPLICATIONS

Students in their second year and above, including post-graduates are invited to apply.

To be considered for this exciting opportunity please email no more than 100 words explaining why you would like to attend to:

N.V.Lanfray@kent.ac.uk and R.Whitman@kent.ac.uk

By midnight on the Tuesday 27th October.

Successful applicants will be informed on Friday 30th October and will be required to attend an online briefing event in the following week.

MODEL NATO IN ACTION

The business of the Model NATO committees and their working methods will be explained to the selected participating students in a separate document to be sent in the coming weeks.

In brief, the Model will be principally concerned with reacting to a crisis scenario. That crisis will be presented at the beginning of the working day and elaborated upon by means of news and intelligence injects as the day proceeds. The committees will replicate NATO’s working methods – including, importantly, the requirement that decisions are reached by consensus.

Each NATO member delegation at the Model will be split between three committees: the North Atlantic Council (the NAC), the Military Committee, and an ad hoc Crisis Response Committee. Each university will have two people on each of these three committees – representing two separate NATO members.

The task of the Model is to respond to the crisis by mobilising NATO’s political and military resources. In undertaking that response, delegations will need to act in accordance with known national policy positions.

To assist the students in this endeavour, you will be sent:

  • Model NATO Handbook (containing Rules of Procedure, draft Agenda for the three committees and other important information);
  • Crisis Briefing 1 (outlining the crisis your students will need to prepare for – a second Briefing will be given at the commencement of the Model);
  • A guide to NATO policies and processes (‘NATO 101’);
  • Briefings on the two NATO member countries your university is representing, and a
  • Document on Model NATO’s working methods.

On the day of the Model, academics, staff from the FCO and NATO officials will be on hand to offer specific advice.

Events, Graduate Jobs, Skills development

Online ‘Think Tank’ Careers Webinar 28th October

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Smart Thinking aggregates on one platform all the latest public policy research and analysis from the leading UK think tanks of the day. Curating UK think tank content for the first time, with the aim of stimulating vigorous debate and reaching as wide an audience as possible.

On the 28th October Smart Thinking will be hosting an interactive, online webinar looking at careers in policy and think tanks. The target audience are students who are considering a political or policy career and want to find out more about what life is like in a think tank, how you can go about getting a job in one and the common pitfalls to avoid as you apply. Tickets are free and offered on a first come first served basis. The audience will be able to ask questions when registering for the event so we cover the areas of most interest to them.

The panel includes some of the top UK think tanks and speakers will discuss their own careers as well as offering practical advice on the areas they work in:

Speakers:

Nonie Dube – Inhouse Recruiter, Chatham House

Rebecca Moran – Head of HR, Chatham House

Ryan Shorthouse – Director, Bright Blue

Jonathan Webb – Research Fellow, IPPR

Smart Thinking would be delighted if students would like to join the event. Please use the link below to register for this webinar.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-start-a-career-in-policy-and-think-tanks-tickets-125056755121

 

Civil Service, Events

Houses of Parliament – Online Careers Event

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The Houses of Parliament Fast Stream scheme for the House of Commons is holding an online event next week offering students the opportunity to hear more about the graduate programme and working in Parliament.

The session will be held on Wednesday 14 October, 12pm – 1pm and speakers include the Fast Stream leads from both Houses of Parliament and current graduate trainees. More information, and a link to sign up, can be found on the Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/graduate-opportunities-at-uk-parliament-tickets-124250359169

All interested students are welcome, particularly students from under-represented backgrounds (including BAME students, students with disabilities, and students from lower socio-economic backgrounds).

More information can also be found here.

Houses of Parliament Fast Stream

Careers Service, Diversity, Events

Diversity and Inequality in Criminal Justice Event

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Unlocked Graduates is proud to be running a speaker and panel Q & A event in partnership with Clifford Chance as part of their Black History Month series.

Racial inequality is one of the most pressing issues facing our criminal justice system. Over 25 per cent of the adult prison population is from a minority ethnic group compared to just 14 per cent of the general population. In the youth estate the problem is even more stark – with minorities representing over half the children in our prison system. In this event we will hear from people on the frontline in this crisis – those campaigning for change, people with lived experience and graduates who are taking on the challenge of finding solutions within the sector.

We will be joined by Ash Prashar. Ash is a justice reform campaigner with a unique background. He’s a former young offender who went on to work for Boris Johnson, Tony Blair & VP Biden. He advocates for criminal justice reform and prison abolition in both the US & UK and has created programs for the formerly incarcerated, campaigned for bail reform, ending solitary confinement and the restoration of voting rights. Ash will present on these issues followed by a discussion with Clifford Chance partner, Matthew Newick.

This will be followed by a panel of frontline workers chaired by Stephen Akpabio-Klementowski – with professionals across the sector and from Unlocked, discussing their roles working in law, policing and prison – and how you too could have an impact by working on the frontline.

The virtual event will take place on 12th October from 12-1.45pm. You need to register in advance here.

Please note that you need to scroll to the bottom of the page and click Apply Now. The system used for registrations requires you to upload a CV but this will not be reviewed, if easier you can upload a blank word document. You need to do this in order to register.

Careers Service, Events, Skills development

The 2020 EmpFest Programme is now Available!

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For the first time our annual Employability Festival will be held online! This is a great opportunity for all University of Kent students from all campuses to gain insights and skills for their future careers.

EmpFest will feature events organised by the Careers & Employability Service; Academic Schools, Professional Services, Employers and Professional Organisations to offer presentations, skills workshops, guest speakers, discussion panels and industry experts.

The EmpFest programme is now available at: https://www.kent.ac.uk/ces/empfest/prg.html

EmpFest: 12 – 23 October Selection of events

Monday 12th

#EmpFest20 – South East Water: The use of psychometric testing in selection, recruitment and career development – 12pm
Join Organisational Development Advisor Millie Wilson online to learn about the use of psychometric testing in recruitment and career development. This session will cover how you can prepare to take a psychometric test, how we decide who is the best ‘fit’ for a role and how you can use feedback from psychometric testing in all areas of your life. You will leave this webinar with a set of free tools to learn more about yourself and what your results may look like.

#EmpFest20 – Student Circus: Job Search for International Students – 3pm
This session will include helping international students navigate the job market. We will cover the following:
• Our journey from intl students to Entrepreneurs in the UK
• What is the current job environment (economy, sector specific)
• Timelines to follow for visas
• Tier-2 employer screening (how to find the right employers)
• Options post Tier-4 expiry (apart from Tier 2, there are many options)
• Tips & Tricks (making sure students don’t trip over simple mistakes, employer feedback & easy ways to be noticed)
• Q&A at the end

Tuesday 13th

#EmpFest20 – Civil Service Fast Stream Application Process – 11am
The Fast Stream is the Civil Service’s flagship leadership development programme, developing graduates from diverse backgrounds who have the potential to become our future senior leaders. The 15 schemes provide a breadth of opportunity to contribute to the fast-paced work that makes a difference to society. Sign up now to find out more about the Fast Stream and the application process!

#EmpFest20 – CII: Careers and Opportunities in Insurance and Financial Planning – 12pm
Are you looking for a rewarding career utilising your degree? From cyber risk, helping people manage business and finances; risk including catastrophe, driverless cars and much more; Insurance and financial planning have significant influence in the economy and international reach – this could be your passport to success.

#EmpFest20 – Marsh & McLennan Overview – 2.30pm
Please join Marsh & McLennan for an overview of their opportunities and how to get ahead with your application! Risk, strategy, management consulting

Wednesday 14th

#EmpFest20 – Paragon Law: Securing work in the UK. Advice for EU and International students – 2pm
Paragon Law will provide visa and immigration updates for international and EU students looking to secure a graduate role or set up in business. They will provide an overview of the current situation and changes post December 2020.

#EmpFest20 – Careers in Accountancy Panel – 3pm
Are you thinking about a career in accountancy? It’s not all about numbers! Accountants are financial specialists at the heart of all areas of business. Hear from a panel of accountants and professional bodies, working in a range of areas from tax, audit and assurance, in small, mid-tier and top-tier firms. They’ll share their career backgrounds, qualification routes and tips for entering the career sector, with Q&A.

#EmpFest20 – Introduction to Frontline Graduate Programme – 3pm
Frontline is a social work charity working to ensure that all children in England have a safe and stable home, and that their life chances are not limited by their social or family circumstance. We create social change for these children and their families by developing excellent social work practice and leadership through our programmes and by building a movement of leaders in social work and broader society as part of our Fellowship. In order to achieve this, we aim to have 4,000 impactful fellows by 2025.

#EmpFest20 – The University of Law: Careers in Law for non-Law Students – 4pm
If you’re considering a law conversion course, we’ll talk you through the courses, what you’ll study and take you through the route to becoming a Solicitor or Barrister.

Thursday 15th
#EmpFest20 – Leyton UK: How to get the right job for you, and keep it – 10am
Antoni Peychev, Kent Law Alumnus and current Global Business and Digital Transformation Manager for an R&D Tax Consultancy, will be covering How to get the right job for you, and keep it!
Antoni has worked within a range of sectors, including Media, Banking, Legal, Publishing, Digital Consulting, R&D Tax Consulting, Data Science & AI, in roles such as, Journalist, Private Banker, Litigation Executive, Legal Product Specialist, Business Analyst, Project Manager and Lifelong Student and Mentor, building up a wealth of knowledge, which he is ready to share! If you are thinking What do I want to do once I graduate? What do I do if I don’t know? How do I go from student to a trusted professional? What if I have no talents? What if I work hard instead? How do I succeed in today’s fast-paced world? – then this session is for you! Let’s chat!

#EmpFest20 – School of Economics: Working in Finance – 6pm
Come and hear Economics graduates talk about their career paths to a graduate job in finance, how they secured their roles and what it is like to work in the financial sector. This will be followed by networking opportunities.

Friday 16th
#EmpFest20 – Step into working with offenders – 4pm
Meet Olivia Ross who graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology earlier this year. She now works as an offender resettlement worker for Penrose, helping offenders find housing, employment and support including mental health services on their release. In this session she will talk about how she got her job and her experiences so far. This will be followed by a question and answer session.

….. WEEK 2 ……

Monday 19th
#EmpFest20 – Unlocked Graduates: Alternative Careers: Career in Criminal Justice – 1pm
Want a graduate job that makes a difference? Unlocked Graduates aims to change the prison system through rehabilitation. Our participants work on the front line to impact society every day with their outstanding work. Find out how YOU could be part of the movement by tuning in to this presentation!

#EmpFest20 – APM: Project Management Insight – 2.30pm
An insight into project management from a project professional, Daniel Pollitt. Find out more about the Association for Project Management, the professional body that represents the profession and Daniel’s experiences so far.

#EmpFest20 – Bright Network: Tackling Virtual assessment centres – 4pm
Assessment centres can be daunting, especially if you’ve never attended one before and with the shift to a more digitally focused world, recruiters are also moving to digital platforms to assess their candidates. Our careers experts Jake and Shelly are here to give you their top insights on how to successfully navigate the different tasks you’ll face during virtual assessment centres. In this session you’ll gain the key skills to tackle these tasks confidently, learn how to maintain professionalism and impress firms (virtually!), as well as boost your overall employability.

Tuesday 20th
Virtual Careers Fair, 10am – 4pm

Wednesday 21st
#EmpFest20 – SSPSSR: Year in Professional Practice (Placement) – 12.00
This session is to introduce students to the Year in professional practice. It aims to equip students with all the information they require to help them make an informed decision about undertaking a placement year and the support available to them.

#EmpFest20 – School of Politics: Alumni Careers Panel – 2pm
A panel of Kent Politics Alumni will talk about their careers followed by a Q&A session with students.

#EmpFest20 – The University of Law: Solicitor Series – 4pm
Our Solicitor Series workshop will help you stand out in Vacation Scheme and Training Contract applications.  We’ll cover questions including, what type of firm is right for me? What type of Law would I enjoy practising? And What types of tasks would I expect as a trainee Solicitor?

Thursday 22nd

#EmpFest20 – L’Oreal Virtual skills session – 11am
In this event we will cover information about L’Oreal as a company and an employer, how the current climate has affected the wider business as a whole and everything in regards to what employers look for at Assessment Centre’s and how you can stand out from the crowd.

#EmpFest20 – Uptree: Interview skills – 12pm
Interactive workshop for all students who want to develop their employability skills, particularly for an interview. We will look at interview technique and how to sell yourself to an employer, applicable to all industry types. Uptree partner with a wide range of different companies to give you the most up-to-date career information. Join this event to hear about upcoming opportunities and events from top companies such as PwC, Clifford Chance, IBM and GSK.

#EmpFest20 – Bank of England: Virtual Assessment Centre Skills Session – 1pm
This skills session will cover all of the skills required from an ideal candidate applying to any of the Bank of England Future Talent programmes. We will be running through a typical application process and any hints and tips for completing a virtual assessment centre. https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/careers/early-careers/our-programmes

#EmpFest20 – Marketing and Business Alumni give their experiences – 6pm
Hear from four Marketing or Business Alumni who graduated in 2019 about their experiences in the following work places:
Harvard Communications – Marketing Executive for the technology and media industry https://www.harvard.co.uk/
Nomad Foods – Europe’s largest Frozen food company – Consumer Insights analyst role https://www.nomadfoods.com/careers/
L’Oréal Paris – 6 month internship
Ogilvy – who work with one in five of the UK’s top 100 brands – Brand Strategist and Planner – https://ogilvy.co.uk/have-career

23rd October

#EmpFest20 – FDM: Top tips for virtual and video interviews – 12pm
With more and more businesses utilising online platforms to conduct interviews, we have created a session with helpful tips to help with your success!
In this session we will cover the FDM onboarding process, what a strength based interview is and what it looks like and how to prepare for a virtual/video interview, this will be followed by a Q&A to answer any questions you may have.

#EmpFest20 – Step into social and market research – 12pm
Meet Hollie Gibson who graduated last year with a masters in Sociology. She now works for BMG, a social and market research agency that predominantly works with public sector clients. Her role as Graduate Research Executive involves assisting with all elements of research, including fieldwork, analysis and report writing. Her aim is to uncover the story behind data! In this session she will talk about how she got her job and her experiences so far. This will be followed by a question and answer session.

#EmpFest20 – Selection tests – 3pm
Often referred to as Psychometric tests, graduate recruiters often use verbal/numerical/logical reasoning, situational judgement, personality and game-based tests as part of their selection process. Find out more about these tests and to learn about Graduates First, an online facility where Kent students can practise them.

Events, Skills development, Student Ambassador, Work experience

Kent Student Union Nominations Open Now!

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It’s that time of year! Kent Student Union are now open for nominations and elections to their Student Networks!

Student Networks are student-led spaces where students who share an interest or identity can discuss issues relating to their group, and collectively work on events and campaigns to build a community of students and make change to your student experience and beyond. Networks exists to represent and act as the voice for all defining students, to feedback key issues that affect their student experience to both the University and Kent Union, and to lead campaigns to affect positive change for students at Kent and beyond.

Students can get involved with running this student network, by standing in this election to become part of this student network team.

Each network is led by a team of up to five elected students, with a designated chair who is a member of the Union Executive Committee.

If you are interested in running for the network teams then you can nominate yourself here: https://kentunion.co.uk/studentvoice/elections

On Behalf of Kent Student Union – all enquires and replies to kentunion@kent.ac.uk

 

Civil Service, Events, Final Year, First Year, Graduate Jobs, Second Year

Civil Service Fast Stream Event, Thursday 1st October at 3pm

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Current Fast Streamers on the Civil Service Fast Stream graduate programme will be giving a talk about their experiences both applying for and being on the Fast Stream.

Join their webinar at 3pm on Thursday 1 October to hear from current Fast Streamers and find out more about the Civil Service, the graduate programme and how to apply.

The Civil Service Fast Stream is an accelerated career path to leadership with supported development. They are a graduate employer that is consistently ranked in the top five of The Times Top 100. The Civil Service is looking for graduates with the potential to progress to the most senior levels of the Civil Service and become our future leaders.  By ‘potential’ we mean graduates who have the motivation and ability to progress to the highest levels of our organisation. We are seeking the widest range of people, who can bring differing life experiences to their roles, enriching our organisation and helping us to better represent the whole of the society that we serve. There is no typical Fast Streamer. We believe that people perform their best when they can be themselves at work. We value who you are before you join the Fast Stream and ensure that through flexible working you will still have time for the things that matter the most to you outside work.

Booking link: https://careers.kent.ac.uk/leap/event.html?id=6531&service=Careers+Service

Events, Final Year, First Year, Post graduate, Second Year, Skills development

Upcoming POLIR Careers Events

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The School of Politics and International Relations has a number of exciting careers events and opportunities coming up this term.

——————————–

Careers in Diplomacy with guest speaker Owen Traylor
5th March 2020  * 11am – 12pm * GS6
There’s no such thing as a typical Diplomatic career. You could be based in London or working in one of the Foreign Office’s small, challenging or remote embassies, or working on global issues in one of our large embassies in Washington and Paris. Find out more at our Careers in Diplomacy Event. Guest speaker Owen Traylor, former Deputy Ambassador at the British Embassy in Israel will speak about his career in the Foreign and Commonwealth Service. Owen served for more than three decades in the British Foreign Service; including on the Cabinet Office Committee on Northern Ireland in the run-up to the Good Friday Agreement; in Turkey; Japan and Israel.

Brussels Trip to the European Parliament
13th- 15th March 2020
PolIR, EUROSOC, the Global Europe Centre and CAS are organising a student trip to Brussels. It will include a guided tour of the European Parliament, other Brussels-based institutions, museums and the city highlights. If you are interested, please sign up by Thursday, February 27th. The estimated price of the trip is £120 and includes a return bus from Canterbury and 2 nights in a central Brussels hotel with breakfast.

Women in Politics – Careers Panel  – 20th March 2020
From 6pm – 7pm in GLT3 with a reception in the Grimond Foyer
To celebrate International Women’s Day we have invited a panel of accomplished women with careers in a wide range of Political fields. Hear them speak about their career journeys followed by a networking reception with refreshments. CANCELLED 

Careers in International Affairs Forum
POLIR Fully Funded Field Trip – 30th April 2020
Careers in International Affairs Forum is an annual meeting in which students, graduates, recruiters and experts will network, share their offerings and exchange insights in the field of international affairs. Young people interested in pursuing their careers in foreign relations and diplomacy will have a chance to meet and hear from key employers such as think tanks, NGOS and humanitarian organisations.