International Relations Society: Academic Events Director

I am running for this position because I believe the IR Society can broaden the scope and impact of events to better support members’ academic and professional ambitions. This year, I have engaged in society panels and had the opportunity to represent UCL and the IR Society at the UN Global Peace Summit in Bangkok.

At the summit, I built meaningful relationships with professionals working across international organisations and in governance, as well as with students from leading IR societies globally. I am committed to turning these connections into tangible opportunities for members by expanding our speaker base across international sectors and giving members a chance to interact with and hear from those at the forefront of IR. Similarly, using the peer connections I made at the summit, I intend to pitch inter-university thematic socials that give members the opportunity to network with other young professionals internationally on issues central to modern IR.

Additionally, I have strong organisational and communication skills attributed to my experience planning large events such as a ‘Sustainability Youth Forum’ that connected the student body to professionals in sustainable development. Planning countless events like these has made me a perceptive and strategic team member.​

If elected, I am committed to expanding our events to better reflect members' needs, introducing more interactive forums, and working diligently to plan events.

Hi everyone! I’m Rachel, a Politics & International Relations student, and I’d love to be your Academic Events Director. I’m running for this role because I believe the IR Society is at its best when it creates spaces where academic ideas come alive beyond the lecture hall. International relations is constantly evolving, and student societies play an important role in helping us engage with those changes through discussion, debate, and exposure to different perspectives from so many different disciplines.

As Academic Events Director, I aim to organise events that make complex global issues engaging, accessible, and open to debate. This could include speaker panels with diplomats, journalists, and policy professionals, as well as more interactive formats like debates, policy simulations, and collaborative events with other societies. I hope to help coordinate events that not only inform members about global issues, but also enable meaningful and critical conversations.

Through my previous leadership experience as Vice Head Girl and Mock Trial Team Captain, I have developed strong organisational and communication skills, and I’m comfortable coordinating events and working collaboratively. Above all, I want IR Society events to feel accessible, stimulating, and most definitely relevant to the wide range of interests within our community. I would be honoured to help organise academic events that bring people together to question and discuss the many issues shaping our world.

Recently, a lot of my work has revolved around analysing global issues and discussing them in practical settings, from researching geopolitical developments through my work with Autran Group to writing on international affairs and leading debate and policy discussions.

Through those experiences, I’ve seen how valuable spaces are where students can actively engage with complex global issues rather than just hearing about them in lectures.

As Academic Events Director, I would aim to organise events that allow members to interact more directly with international affairs, whether through structured discussions on current geopolitical developments, smaller roundtable-style conversations with speakers, or interactive sessions where students can analyse real-world policy challenges together.

I’d also be interested in expanding the range of speakers and perspectives involved in our events, helping connect students with diplomats, researchers, and professionals working in international policy today.

Hey there aspiring dictators!

My name is Samuel Lee, and I am running to be your Academic Events Director for IR Society. 

Proven Experience

Over the past year, as your Events Management Director, I organised visits with the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, Romanian and Kazakh Embassies, as well as coordinating our Turkish Panel Event on campus.

If elected as Academic Events Director, I hope to build on this momentum and use the opportunity to take the society even further next year.

Bigger and Better

If elected, I want to continue developing events that make international relations exciting and accessible!

- IR Debates on current global issues // Inviting UCL professors, experts, and other societies to debate major international and contentious topics.

- Career-focused events // Bringing in speakers from diplomacy, policy, consulting, and international organisations to give members insight into careers in international affairs.

- Socials that mix fun & discussion // eg. Political Board Games Night

An IR Society that reflects YOU!

Let’s build a society where we debate ideas, connect with professionals, and explore international relations together!

Vote Samuel Lee for Academic Events Director!

I am Mariya Kurmangaliyeva, and I am running for the Academic Events Director position. As a first-year Politics and International Relations student and a writer for Circum Mundum, I have seen how important this society is in opening various opportunities for growth, and I want to be more actively involved in shaping its academic programme. 

I have three priorities: 

Engagement: designing events that actively involve members, including small-group debates, interactive Q&As, and joint panels with other universities.

Community: creating spaces where students feel confident sharing their perspectives, supported by discussion circles, networking opportunities, and guidance from senior members.

Growth: offering members practical skills and experience from public speaking and policy analysis to advice on internships and research opportunities using the networks I’ve built with other societies. 

My past experience reflects these priorities. As VP of Speech, Debate, and MUN, I organised conferences for 100+ delegates, developing coordination, facilitation, and communication skills. Through Rotaract, I have attended networking events at the House of Commons and worked with initiatives like the Dewa Trust Foundation, connecting with speakers and practitioners on a wide range of global issues. If elected, I would build on the Society’s speaker programme while creating more events that encourage curiosity, foster discussion, and equip members with practical skills they can apply beyond UCL.

Events are a crucial entry point into early careers within International Relations. They offer students direct exposure to practitioners, provide insight into the realities of the field, and create space for contrasting perspectives to be explored meaningfully. The UCL International Relations Society has excelled in this mission over the past year. The International Relations Film Festival, in particular, demonstrated how creative disciplines can open a new pathway into IR and encouraged students to see the field not only through policy and theory, but also through storytelling, visual culture, and innovative forms of analysis.

As Academic Events Director, I aim to expand and diversify this exploration of the creative side of IR. Interactivity will be central to maintaining the high levels of engagement that UCLIRS is so successful in. Rather than isolated events, I envision curated series that offer sustained exposure to different creative mediums; such as a novelist series examining political fiction, an artist series on visual representations of global issues, or a photographer series documenting international narratives.

To deepen participation, these series could be paired with competitions or collaborative projects, such as creating artwork or multimedia pieces responding to an IR theme. My goal is to design events that are intellectually accessible.

I’m running for Academic Events Director because I want to contribute to the amazing initiatives organised by the International Relations Society and help them continue to grow.

Serving as First-Year Representative this year gave me valuable insight into the committee’s work behind the scenes. I’ve seen firsthand the planning, coordination, and attention to detail required to organise successful events and ensure they run smoothly. This experience has strengthened my understanding of what it takes to deliver meaningful and well-executed initiatives.

I’m eager to maintain and further develop our ongoing events, such as embassy visits and panel discussions, while also bringing fresh ideas to the table. I believe we can continue expanding our reach and impact by introducing new formats and collaborations that keep members engaged and inspired. As a class representative, I’ve developed strong time management and teamwork skills, both of which are essential for this role. I’m organised, proactive, and committed to following through on responsibilities.

I want to deliver events that, at their core, provide opportunities to stay informed, discuss pressing global issues, network with professionals, engage with diverse perspectives, and deepen our understanding of international relations. I am committed to organising events with our members and their interests in mind, ensuring they are relevant, inclusive, and impactful. Not only to inform, but to shape this vibrant community!

Hi, I’m Hinna and I’m running for Academic Events Director of the International Relations Society.

As a Global Humanitarian Studies student, I’m genuinely interested in global issues and how they shape the world around us. I’m currently a writer for the African region of Circum Mundum, the society’s journal, and I wrote the first academic article published this year, which is something I’m really proud of. Being involved in the journal has made me want to contribute more to the academic side of the society.

I’ve attended several talks this year and really value spaces where students can discuss complex issues openly and critically. If elected, I would aim to organise engaging and well-structured events, from guest speakers to interactive discussions, that encourage real participation rather than just listening.

I’m organised, committed and genuinely invested in the society. I would love the opportunity to help shape academic events and make the most out of what this society can offer!