News and blogs

We asked our scholars what they thought would happen in world politics in 2020. Here's what they had to say...

After around an eight month application process from start to finish, Chevening Scholars finally arrive in the UK in September/October – also known as autumn. And spring, summer, and/or winter depending on the day. A common message people in the UK send to one another is, ‘what is the weather like where you are?’, because […]

South West England Clearwell Caves’ Christmas Grotto (29 November – 24 December) If you’re looking for a unique and unforgettable Christmas experience, then you won’t find a quirkier attraction than Clearwell Caves. Wrap up warm and visit Father Christmas in his Grotto located underground in the 4,500 year-old mine caves. From the old mine tracks […]

In the weeks since Orientation 2019, scholars have had the chance to step back and reflect on Orientation, and meeting 1,750 scholars from 141 countries and territories around the world. For some, the best moments consisted of seeing those they hadn’t seen since leaving their home countries, and for others, it meant meeting new people […]

There is a popular song in Mexico with lyrics to the effect of, ‘If I die away from Mexico, let them say I’m asleep, and have them bring me back home.’ The concept of death in Mexican culture is one unlike any other in the world – as we mourn death, we also celebrate it […]

Experimental project Crossing Divides is like a heart pumping the idea of social cohesion across the BBC. I’ve spent a few weeks working on it and here is what I found out.

In my defence, I had made the bookings in a rush. I was in London, and my India SIM card wasn’t working so I couldn’t get the one-time passwords required for online bookings. It was only at the last moment that the problem was resolved, and I did all my bookings in one go, afraid […]

If you’re moving to the UK, your packing list will probably include a few key items which you will want to bring with you. Among these; your toothbrush, stuffed bear, comfortable walking shoes, all 312,441 items from your wardrobe, and one item of dry food that you know customs won’t take from you – as […]

If you’ve watched the 1979 satirical British comedy, ‘Monty Python’s Life of Brian’, you will no doubt remember the scene in which Brian exclaims to a large audience, ‘You are all individuals’, and to which they respond (in unison), ‘Yes, we’re all individuals’. In 1979, it was probably easier to make a statement such as […]

Almost exactly one year ago, we published a blog in October to kick start the class of 2018’s scholar blogs titled, ‘Fifteen first impressions of the UK’. A year on, with a new class of scholars, we wanted to find out again what the first impressions of the UK have been like for our new […]