International Relations Society: Vice-President

I am standing as a current first year rep supporting my bid for president. I ask that you vote me for both roles as my emphasis is on service to, not an “office” from, the society. I feel my experiences best represent fellow members' perspectives as passionate and curious people. My time as a P-IR student, including the incredibly valuable months as First Year Rep, has only reinforced my overall interest for IR. Curiosity and togetherness has always been central to the UCL community ethos, and I appreciate how the society embodies this in its considerate emphasis on different people coming together. My VP manifesto is the same as I intend to embark on a plan of:

• Expanding support for more events (especially continuing the IR Soc. Film Fest. as a tradition). 
• Increasing inter-society collaboration (events or mutual promotion could increase awareness and community engagement)
• Finding more IR-related events outside of London (like adding the Athens Democracy Forum to our list of annual summits).

I have thoroughly enjoyed my current experience of roughly five months which have provided me with moments to witness firsthand the labour-intensive and time-consuming logistic feat that is not only organising events but also governing the society. This service has taught me well enough that I felt confident to be the organiser and film programmer for the ongoing IR Society Film Festival which has thus given me the experience that encouraged me to run.

Thank you for your consideration.

Hi everyone! I’m Vanessa, and I’d love to be your VP for the upcoming year. I want to help shape a society where every student can actively engage with international affairs, build meaningful connections, and gain valuable experiences. After attending the Thailand trip this year, I’m even more motivated to contribute to our society’s growth and bring you more one-of-a-kind opportunities.

Building on our existing initiatives, I aim to introduce more interactive and team-based events, cross-society collaborations, and career networking opportunities. Most importantly, I want to hear your ideas - whether it’s event topics, new formats, or ways to improve our society.

With extensive leadership experience, I’ve honed skills in logistics, planning, and turning ideas into action. As one of two delegates selected by the Secretary-General to give an interview at the Thailand Summit, I gained valuable insights into representing a collective voice. Whether it’s advocating for members’ interests, negotiating with the SU, or running events, I’m dedicated to making IR Soc a space that truly reflects and supports its members.

With your vote, we can build an inclusive, thriving community - a hub for bold ideas, meaningful discussions, and lasting connections!

Dear International Relations Society,

My name is Emma Vidal de Saintignon, and I would like to be your next Vice President.

As a second-year Politics and International Relations student, I am passionate about geopolitics, conflict mitigation, and political risk analysis. Over the past year, I have  gained valuable experience as Head of Events for the Diplomacy Society and Event Coordinator for the London University Diplomatic Summit. These roles have strengthened my organizational skills and expanded my network of high-profile speakers—connections I want to bring to our society.

Being part of this society has been an eye-opener to the many career paths in international relations. As VP, I want to help members explore opportunities by connecting with professionals across trade, think tanks, cybersecurity, NGOs, international law, and more. I am also committed to securing additional funding to make the 2026 Bangkok trip financially accessible to as many members as possible.

I plan to introduce:

• An alumni network – connect with former UCL students, to learn from their paths towards finding internships and  navigating the interview and hiring process.
• Regular feedback polls – Have your say on event topics and improvements by expressing interest in particular topics,  proposing event ideas, and reviewing past events.
• Special day events – Exclusive panels and socials for occasions like Women’s Day and Earth Day.

I look forward to growing this society with you. Please vote for me!

Emma

As Director of Academic Events for the International Relations Society this year, I hosted successful events such as the Kosovan Embassy visit, the collaborative Italian Embassy visit, the talk from MP Naz Shah, and various social events like the "Committee Cooks for You" and our games nights.

As Vice President, I will work to expand our collaborations with embassies, policymakers, and academics to provide members with even more unique networking and learning opportunities. I also want to foster a stronger sense of community through innovative social events that bring people together beyond formal discussions. I will leverage the connections I forged with ambassadors, MPs, and politicians to work on events that create career opportunities and meaningful connections for our members.

My plan as vice-president inlcude:

Leveraging my connections in UK Parliament to invite government ministers

Using my connections gained with embassies to invite foreign prime ministers

Listen to member feedback and create events relevant to our community

Create a flourishting society where students can learn about international relations through first hand experiences

Focus on more social events like field trips, games nights, and art nights

Be receptive; create events that you want to see!

My experience in planning and executing successful events has given me insight into what makes our society thrive, and with your support, I hope to continue enhancing the society’s reach, relevance, and impact.

Hi everyone!

I am nominating myself for the role of vice-president as I have 2 main ideas that I would like the society to implement and wish to push forward. 1st of all is the role of aristocracy/royal families in modern Europe. I have been interested in Politics all my life and did not even realise that countries like Sweden or The Netherlands have monarchs until last year. I wish to promote discussion into the role of these monarchs - is it finally time to abolish their institutions? Do they hold any real power and how can their hereditary status be justified in the 21st century? This is something that I really wish to explore. Secondly, I a have a background in social events and would like to improve their quality by working with the Events Manager. I really think we can do better by implementing basic changes such as watching elections together or engaging in more student discussion. Thank you for your time!