EDITOR'S NOTE: As part of our ongoing focus on student success, GNSI has partnered
with the world-renowned International Security and Intelligence Programme, part of the University of Cambridge, held annually in Cambridge, England.
The ISI Programme was launched in 2016, as part of the Cambridge Security Initiative.
The ISI Programme gathers the world's leading academics and practitioners from the
intelligence and security communities, focusing on the intelligence dimensions of
international security from a transatlantic perspective while also exploring broader
global perspectives.
This summer,we're excited to be sending two USF students to the ISI Programme for
the first time, giving them an opportunity to engage with and learn from some of the
world's leading experts. May Birch and Kyle Rudd, the two students selected and members of the GNSI Future Strategist Program, are on the ground in Cambridge, getting ready for the next six weeks of rigorous
study, research and security experiences. They might even squeeze in a little bit
of fun.
They've agreed to write this blog for us, detailing their experience at the ISI Programme.
You can follow along here, as we'll post their latest blog entries below. You can
also follow along on our social media platforms for even more great content, including
videos, pics and more. We're at: Linkedin Twitter/X and YouTube.
We hope you enjoy the blog!
week one
May's bucket List: Getting ready for my First Trip to the UK
Before leaving for Cambridge, I decided to write down some of my expectations for the International Security and Intelligence Programme and my first ever visit to the United Kingdom. Here are some of the items on my “ISI Bucket List:”
• Understand International Relations from a non-American perspective
• Meet and form relationships with future professionals in the field
• Study in the Emmanuel College library
• Visit the Buckingham Palace and see the Royal Guards
• Have a picnic on the campus courtyard
• Go for a run around Cambridge (I’ve never run in another country)
Overall, I am beyond excited to go and I hope I can fulfill this list during my stay. Follow along to see what I can check off!
- May Birch
Kyle's UK Agenda: Cybersecurity and Chips in Cambridge
I expect the International Security and Intelligence Programme to teach me the latest ideas in cyber-security and help me meet people from government, business, and universities who can guide my career. Most afternoons I’ll ask speakers practical questions about how they built their own paths into policy work. Evenings will be for discovering Cambridge’s pub scene, and late mornings will start with a reliable plate of beans on toast. A trip to the Churchill War Rooms will connect modern cyber issues to their historical roots, and the conveners’ sharp humour should keep every session lively. I plan to end each day with a well-earned serving of fish and chips.
- Find at least five solid leads for jobs or internships in cyber-security
- Have a real conversation with a current government official about how policy is
put into practice
- Finish the full Churchill War Rooms tour and share the lessons in class
- Visit the lively pub scene, not only to sample the local pints, but, more importantly,
to find out how the locals think about security issues
- Attend every seminar- even after late nights- and earn high marks
- Decide whether beans on toast are truly good study fuel
- Leave with a network on three continents and a lasting love of British fish and
chips
- Kyle Rudd
