Exploring London’s entrepreneurial ecosystem: my 2025 industry events journey 

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Entrepreneur, MSc International Business student, and Chevening scholar at Birkbeck, Kasuni Chamudika Withthamperuma from Sri Lanka shares her journey navigating London’s many and varied networking events. 

As an MSc International Business student and Chevening scholar with aspirations of becoming an international business consultant, I’ve always believed that learning extends beyond the classroom. My goal is to support Sri Lankan Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in accessing global markets. Attending industry and networking events has been an essential part of that journey. 

These events have also enriched my academic work, especially my research on “Product innovation and SME internationalisation: Exploring government support to startups based in London.”  They’ve also broadened my understanding of the startup ecosystem, both in the UK and globally. 

Why networking events matter 

Being based in London offers unparalleled access to a wide range of business events and communities. With my lectures scheduled in the evenings, I’ve been able to attend daytime events throughout the city, gaining insights into current trends, emerging opportunities, and innovative business models. 

I find events through platforms like LinkedIn and Eventbrite, as well as through Birkbeck’s Pioneer Programme, which has been a great resource for understanding the UK’s business support infrastructure. Volunteering at a co-working space has also given me further exposure to the entrepreneurial landscape and allowed me to connect with founders and startups more directly. 

Key Events from 2025 

Here are some of the most impactful events I’ve attended this year: 

1. Startup Show 2025 – January 
A comprehensive introduction to the UK startup ecosystem. Conversations with fellow attendees helped me reflect on my own direction and refine the vision for my future consultancy. 

2. Branding, Storytelling, and Fundraising – February 
This event focused on problem-solving through creative solutions, disciplined entrepreneurship, and the importance of strong partnerships with co-founders. Additionally, it highlighted how accelerators can drive business growth. 

3. Lunch & Learn: Building a Sustainable Future for SMEs – February 
This event brought together business owners and sustainability professionals to discuss practical approaches to building more sustainable, cost-effective operations. 

4. Access to Finance – February 
Organised by the City of London Corporation and the British Business Bank, this event offered detailed guidance on available funding options for early-stage businesses and SMEs. 

5. Network Your Way to Growth – February 
An interactive session covering key networking skills, including how to craft an effective elevator pitch and maintain professional relationships over time. 

6. Culture Mile BID Academy – March 
This event emphasised the importance of strategic engagement, thoughtful business planning, and sustainability in today’s entrepreneurial landscape. It also highlighted the value of networking and building meaningful connections within the right circles. 

7. London Venture Crawl – March 
Part of the university’s Pioneer Programme, this event offered a behind-the-scenes look at London’s startup ecosystem. It also included pitch practice in preparation for an upcoming competition—an experience I found both valuable and motivating. 

Looking Ahead 

Participating in these events has provided me with practical tools, a broader perspective, and a growing professional network. Combined with my academic studies, these experiences are helping me build the foundation I need to support Sri Lankan SMEs in scaling internationally. 

I look forward to continuing to engage with London’s dynamic business community and using these insights to contribute to meaningful change in the future. 

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Opinion: Donald Trump is a Danger to Democracy

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Dr Ben Worthy, Reader in Politics and Public Policy at Birkbeck’s School of Social Sciences shares his thoughts on the President Trump’s latest actions.

Since his second term began Donald Trump has dismantled, undermined and destroyed some of the essential features of American democracy. The signs have long been there that Trump doesn’t support or like democratic institutions or ideas. In his first term, remember, he tried to deny he’d lost and supported an armed coup that stormed Congress. Now, just two months into his second term, the US political system itself is under sustained attack. 

It is true that even before Trump American democracy was, shall we say, a work in progress, and actually far younger than it looks. Until the 1960s claims of democracy and the ringing belief in ‘We the People’ co-existed with slavery and severe inequality, and, at least in terms of voting rights, it has only been a full democracy since 1965. But since January 2025 even this imperfect system is being pulled apart.

So what exactly has Donald Trump done? Since he came to power he has launched a flurry of so called Executive Orders (which are essentially memos) attacking various democratic rights, and made a series of attacks minority groups and vulnerable people, especially in the trans community and immigrants. Immigration officials and other agencies have moved quickly to target opponents who may oppose or speak out, from lawyers to universities, spreading terror and intimidation. Just read this headline out loud ‘A PhD student was snatched by masked officers in broad daylight. Then she was flown 1,500 miles away’. This is the story of a student writing in a student newspaper, who was snatched from the street by masked and unidentifiable police. Yes, secret police and snatched away.  Opponents and critics are disappearing are being silenced, heading towards the concentration camps that have been created exactly to sit outside of the law (though they haven’ been called that). This is only the beginning of Trump’s plans for mass deportation.

As well as being horrific, Trump’s action run against several important rules of democracy. The first is the rule of law, and the idea that everyone, from the President downwards, must be subject to it, equally. Trump very clearly believes otherwise. He has pardoned people convicted of attempting to overthrow the government. He has also suspended the vital legal processes for critics, simply deporting them and making up reasons afterwards. As this article puts it ‘the lawlessness is the point’. Without the rule of law, the law is simply whatever Trump says it is.

The second rule of democracy is about following the constitution, the rules and procedures that set out the rules of the game. The US constitution is one of the world’s most famous, setting out the ‘checks and balances’ to make sure no one can…erm… become a dictator. In theory, the President is balanced by the Supreme Court and Congress, who all block each other.

In July 2024 a Supreme Court ruling gave any future President (and especially Trump) immunity and, effectively’ the power of a king’ and Trump is now using it to the full. So far Trump has unconstitutionally and illegally abolished government departments and pursued law firms who he believes are opposed to him, while Musk, who has no proper constitutional position, has illegally taken control of government data. Trump’s day one orders on immigration were ‘unconstitutional, illegal and cruel’ as has been his unconstitutional use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 . Each of these acts should have been stopped, and each would probably be an impeachable office, meaning the President could be removed.

So far, the checks have failed. Some Judges at various levels are working to stop or slow down Trump. The problem at the moment is that the legislature (Congress) and the highest court (the Supreme Court) are filled (and better say ‘packed’) with Trump’s supporters, who have decided that their loyalty to Trump is more important that defending the Constitution.

Trump is now mulling possibility of somehow, someway serving a Third term. As this piece argues Trump cannot, in constitutional terms, be elected for a third term but could try to reach the White House by becoming Vice President, Putin style, or some complex swap arrangement. 

Finally, the third way of thinking about democracy is through elections. Adam Przeworski famously argued that Democracy is ‘a system in which parties lose elections’. Free and fair elections are the most important part of democracy, and perhaps the one true way to judge a democracy is whether the party that loses agrees to step down. Leaving office willingly is the fundamental difference between democracies and dictatorship. Trump tried all he could to not leave, as a clear warning sign, in 2020.

Trump’s issued a new set of Executive Orders in March 2025 aimed to ‘Protect and Preserve Elections’. Like in any other authoritarian regime, we need to remember that anything the government says now means the precise opposite. Trump’s instructions are an attempt to restrict mail voting and create new proofs for ID to undermine his opponents and manipulate the elections in his favour.

Trump’s actions fit with a longer term voter suppression by Republicans across many states of America. This report maps the ‘barrage of restrictive voting legislation over the course of the last decade’ which have targeted ‘voters of colour’ as well as  ‘voters with disabilities and low-income voters who can face significant obstacles to obtaining photo identification’.

Beyond the direct attack on the electoral system, the fear of revenge is intimidating parts of the media, lawyers and anyone who could fight it, rolling the pitch for Trump and weakening his opponents. Trump is, in short, trying to create a situation where he doesn’t lose elections. Tim Walz, who ran as VP for Kamala Harris, warned that ‘the road towards authoritarianism has been paved with people saying, ‘You’re overreacting,’ ”. He went on to warn ‘I think you should assume a worst-case scenario’. We should all assume that now.

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Tackling drug-resistant TB: my cross-border mission as a Birkbeck Commonwealth Scholar

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Gourav Rakshi is a Commonwealth Split-Site PhD Scholar based at Birkbeck, University of London. He’s recently actively shared his research to mark World TB Day, World Health Day, presenting his investigative work to a broader community of scientists and early career researchers.

I’m a Commonwealth Split-Site PhD scholar conducting research at the ISMB-Mycobacterial Research Laboratory within the School of Natural Sciences at Birkbeck, University of London. I’m also a member of the UCL-TB Centre. My research is jointly supervised by Professor Venkatesan Jayaprakash (Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, India) and Professor Sanjib Bhakta (Birkbeck, University of London, UK), and my interdisciplinary project contributes to a UK-India education and research initiative aimed at accelerating the development of novel therapeutic interventions against drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB).

On 21 March, I presented a poster at the IOI Early Career Researcher Conference 2025, held at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. This conference fosters interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, clinicians, industry experts, and postgraduate students, encouraging innovative, multidisciplinary approaches to tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

A few days later, on 24 March, I delivered a Turbo Talk at the World TB Day Symposium 2025, held at the John Snow Lecture Theatre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). I was honoured to receive first prize for my presentation. This annual symposium brings together the global TB research community – including scientists, clinicians, policymakers, and affected communities – to share insights on TB research, control strategies, diagnostics, and policy development, while addressing future challenges.

World TB Day, observed on 24 March each year, commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as the causative agent of tuberculosis. The symposium, jointly hosted by the UCL-TB and LSHTM TB Centres, highlights current TB research, control measures, and policy initiatives, connecting a wide range of stakeholders – from researchers and healthcare professionals to diagnostics experts and members of affected communities.

UCL-TB/ LSHTM-TB World TB Day Symposium 2025

Continuing my engagement with the wider scientific community, I participated in a panel discussion on 2 and 3 April at the 4th ACE Drug Discovery Summit, held at Insurance Hall, London. The session, titled In Vitro and In Vivo Testing of Drugs to Accelerate New Drug Discovery: Complementary Approaches, featured leading experts from academia and industry. During the event, Professor Bhakta delivered a keynote lecture on Models and Methods in Antimicrobial Drug Development (for further reading: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38949698/). Other distinguished panellists included Soroush Safaei, Senior Principal Scientist at Sanofi; Chandan Seth Nanda, Vice President of Target and Drug Discovery at Pear Bio; Annick Sawala, Head of Translational Research at Vivan Therapeutics; and Bilada Bilican, Senior Director at AstraZeneca’s Applied Stem Cell Sciences, Centre for Genomics Research. The ACE Drug Discovery Summit provided an excellent platform for global experts to explore trends, challenges, and innovations in drug discovery through presentations and interactive sessions.

Reflecting on these experiences, I can say that as a final-year PhD student, presenting my work to an international audience and engaging in meaningful discussions with both academic and industry leaders has been incredibly rewarding. This journey wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Commonwealth Scholarship, and I’m deeply grateful to my doctoral training supervisors for their unwavering support and mentorship.

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Scholars’ tips for your Chevening Interview 

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As part of the range of activities offered to support international offer holders, Birkbeck recently held a Q&A session about Chevening Scholarship interviews. Current and former Chevening Scholars shared tips and advice on applying to the prestigious UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office scholarship. 

Vasco Chitema from Angola – MA, Language Teaching/Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages – 2024 Chevening scholar 

First, well done on being selected for interview. Congratulations! For me, I think reaching the interview was the hardest part of the process. I’m the first Chevening scholar from my city, Huambo, so I didn’t have anyone to go to for advice. I had to do my own research.  

The very first place that you should go to in order to ace your interview is the Chevening website itself. There you’re going to find 90% of all the information that you need. Also, search related videos on YouTube!  

You also need to try to practice some common interview questions like:  

  • Tell us about you 
  • How is this scholarship going to help you? 
  • Where do you see yourself in the future (5-10 years)? 

When asked about yourself you should try and talk about where you came from, in terms of education, your past experience, where you’re at now and try to link this to your career goals. 

Remember to be confident but also show you’re open to learning. And, of course, when you go to the interview, try to dress smartly! 

Susan Brits, from South Africa – MA Educational Neuroscience – 2022 Chevening scholar and current Interim President of the Chevening Alumni Association for South Africa (CASA) 

It’s beneficial to have a solid understanding of your essays, as the interview questions will be directly related to the content of those essays.

To prepare effectively, I thoroughly analysed each element of my essays and identified potential questions that could be asked for each concept. I then developed possible answers, ultimately creating about 20 pages of responses. This level of preparation is essential!

During the interview, I encountered questions that were often multi-layered, with the panel presenting multiple queries within a single question. Being well-prepared allowed me to respond with precision, addressing each component of the question as it was intended.

In your Chevening application, much of your focus will be on course research, the professors you are interested in working with, and the potential supervisors for your research. It can be helpful to reference this in your interview. For instance, stating something like, “I am applying to Birkbeck because I want to work with Michael Thomas, whose research on Educational Neuroscience aligns closely with my interests,” demonstrates that you have a clear understanding of your academic goals. So it’s important to make use of resources such as Google Scholar to research your potential professors. Ensure that your responses are well-linked to the specific program to which you are applying.

Rudy Sinon, from Seychelles – MSc Advanced Computing – 2024 Chevening scholar  

My main advice is to practice, practice, practice. I would advise you to find someone with whom you can have a mock interview. They can review your essay and may ask you questions you hadn’t considered, helping you prepare for the unexpected.

Be prepared for the panel not to ask questions in a chronological order based on your essay – from the first to the last sections of your application. They might mix it up a bit, asking about your goals, then a networking question, and later returning to your goals to ensure that your essay tells a coherent story.

My essay focused on data analytics. Every section, from the first to the last, was primarily centered on data analytics – why I love data and how studying in the UK would help me achieve my goals in the field.

The main thing is to paint a picture for the interviewers and ensure that every part is connected.

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Celebrating outstanding research at the Birkbeck Business School Dissertation Showcase  

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The Dissertation Showcase events held by the People, Work and Organizational Psychology subject group within Birkbeck’s Business School are designed to celebrate the outstanding postgraduate research carried out by Birkbeck students. Here, Dr Kevin Teoh, Dr Lukas Wallrich and Janet Sheath reflect on the most recent event which showcased dissertations from the 2023/24 student cohort. 

With over 100 attendees joining both in person and online, the showcase provided a platform for emerging scholars to present their research and engage in discussions on pressing workplace issues. It also allowed current and former students to interact and exchange learning about the dissertation process, and for the Birkbeck community to celebrate the success of the 2023/24 cohort in completing their programmes.  

Birkbeck Business School recently hosted the second People, Work, and Organizational Psychology (PWOP) Dissertation Showcase. The event on January 17th, 2025, brought together students, alumni, and staff, to showcase some of the outstanding dissertations from MSc students in Organizational Psychology, Human Resources Management, Career Coaching, and Coaching Psychology.  

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Best Dissertation Award which featured as the main presentation that evening. This award was given to Tamara McBride for her dissertation on “Building Bridges for a Brighter Age: The moderating effects of subjective age and cross-age contact on age-based stereotype threat and disengagement among younger and older workers”  

Two other dissertation awards were presented that evening: 

  • The Alan Wingrove Award for Best Coaching Dissertation – awarded to Katherine Powell for “I am human too…’: What are the negative effects of coaching upon coaches and what helps to reduce or abate them?” 
  • The Simon Broomer Award for Outstanding Career Practice-Related Coaching Research – awarded to Roshan Bilimoria for “How can social justice be advanced through coaching? A qualitative study exploring coaching practices that aim to deliver social justice outcomes” 
Janet Sheath Presenting an award to Roshan Bilimoria

The evening featured 13 individual presentations, grouped into three key themes reflecting the diversity of research in this field. The first theme, Lived Experiences and Identity in the Workplace, explored personal narratives and identity-related challenges, including neurodivergence, gender dynamics, and work-life balance.  

The second theme, Leadership, Change, and Organizational Challenges, examined how leaders and employees navigate complex workplace transformations, including sensemaking during crises and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.  

The final theme, Workplace Equity and Gender Dynamics, focused on systemic workplace inequalities, including coaching for social justice, flexible working arrangements for parents, and career progression barriers faced by underrepresented groups. 

The event concluded with a Student-Alumni Panel Discussion, where past and present students shared insights on their dissertation journeys and how their research has shaped their careers. This interactive session highlighted the real-world impact of PWOP research, from influencing HR policies to supporting inclusive workplace practices and facilitating career transitions. 

As the evening wrapped up, attendees reflected on the showcase as a testament to Birkbeck’s commitment to fostering critical, socially responsible research that bridges theory and practice. With another cohort set to embark on their dissertation journey, the event provided inspiration, motivation, and a reminder of the impact of rigorous research in shaping the future of work. 

Birkbeck has been at the forefront of Organizational Psychology since 1962, when it became the first institution in the UK to offer a dedicated programme in the discipline. The school has continued to be a pioneer in research and teaching, launching the UK’s first online Organizational Psychology programme in 1981. Today, the People, Work, and Organizational Psychology subject group within Birkbeck Business School, focuses on understanding the interplay between people and work, with its interdisciplinary approach continuing to shape critical conversations around well-being, leadership, workplace equity, and the future of work. 

The full list of presentations from the evening: 

Lived Experiences and Identity in the Workplace presentations 

  • Shakyra Campbell – Coming Out: Neurodivergent workers’ lived experience of self-disclosure within the workplace 
  • Hayley Adamson – How do female service leavers experience their transition out of the military? An IPA study through a feminist lens 
  • Chloe Green – Balancing acts within leadership advisory firms: A qualitative study exploring employee perceptions of work-life balance and their boundary management techniques 
  • Jo Price – Organisational Mothers: How office housework contributes to gender inequity in the workplace 

 
Leadership, Change, and Organizational Challenges presentations 

  • Rachel Grant – Beyond the Known: Leaders’ sensemaking during the liminal pandemic and post-pandemic periods 
  • Zoe Kennedy – Toxic or invigorating: Exploring EDI practitioner workplace experiences and change 
  • Elaine Bagshaw – A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis of how leaders and decision-makers in the UK discursively construct ‘return-to-the-office’ policies and practice 
  • Kiryl Tsikhan – Golden years or rusty pennies? Psychological factors that inform retirement saving behaviours 

Workplace Equity and Gender Dynamics presentations 

  • Roshan Bilimoria – How can social justice be advanced through coaching? A qualitative study exploring coaching practices that aim to deliver social justice outcomes 
  • Sam Hewlings – Informal Parental Leave: How fathers in the UK construction industry use hybrid working as an alternative to Shared Parental Leave 
  • Bobbie Reynolds – Playing the game and disrupting social class barriers: Career progression experiences of working-class senior technology leaders 

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Book recommendations for LGBTQI+ history month: true stories of queer lives 

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For LGBTQI+ history month, Reader in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, Julia Bell, shares some of her top picks for books and stories about queer lives – some of which have come from Birkbeck alumni.  

Elizabeth Lovatt – Thank You for Calling the Lesbian Line (Dialogue Books)  

Thank You for Calling the Lesbian Line started work at Birkbeck on the MA in Creative & Critical Writing course, and has been released just this month.

Taken from the archives of the Lesbian Line – a lifesaving lesbian hotline where callers could ask anything from the details of a film screening to sharing illicit longings and difficult lovers – Lovatt imagines the lives of these callers braided with Lesbian history, and her own coming out story. A great read, and one that’s just received a great review in the Guardian!  

Avi Ben-Zeev – Calling my Deadname Home: Trans Bear Diaries (Muswell Press)  

Another Birkbeck alumni, this time from the MFA in Creative Writing. Calling my Deadname Home: Trans Bear Diaries is a fascinating and sensitive account of a transition.

Ben-Zeev’s journey to becoming a gay man takes many pit stops and twists, but the central realisation, that wholehearted living involves integrating both his new identity and his past self, is beautifully realised. Intelligent, and psychologically resonant, this book teaches us a lot about how to live fearlessly and become our true selves.  

Jeremy Atherton Lin – Gay Bar: Why We Went Out (Granta) 

I absolutely love this cultural history of gay nightlife which is both sexy and serious – from San Francisco leather bars to Popstarz at the Scala.

Gay Bar: Why We Went Out is a transnational book that visits all our old haunts and thinks deeply about hedonism and community in gay culture – it’s also a great read. Atherton Lin’s new book – Deep House – is forthcoming, and I can’t wait for it!  

Karen McLeod – Lifting Off (Muswell Press)  

Ever wondered what it was like to be trolley dolly? Wonder no more – Lifting Off is a fascinating insight into the world of flight attendants and of being a feme lesbian in a world of gay men.

This book is funny, insightful and at times heartbreaking. Also to be read next to the re-print of McLeod’s first novel, In Search of The Missing Eyelash, which has been a favourite of mine since it first came out.  


Ed Matthew Bates, Julia Bell, Sarah and Kate Beal – Queer Life, Queer Love 2 (Muswell Press) 

Why, yes, of course I’m going to recommend my own project! Queer Life, Queer Love 2 is a grab bag of fiction, poetry and non-fiction has some Birkbeck Creative Writing alumni between the covers. It’s also a fascinating testament to the richness and resilience of queer lives and vibrant and irrepressible creativity within the community. Libro Levi Bridgeman’s poem about becoming a Granddandy – which has also been made into a stop-motion film – is of particular note, as is Sharon Shaw’s piece on the complications of visiting Gaza as a queer woman before the war. Volume 3 is in the works, this time guest edited by Karen Mcleod.   

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Meet Birkbeck’s 2024/25 Chevening scholars 

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Each year, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office awards the prestigious Chevening Scholarship to outstanding students recognized for their leadership potential and academic excellence. Here, we get to know some of the 2024/25 Chevening cohort a little better.

Rudy Sinon – Studying MA Advanced Computing

I am a Senior Statistician at the Seychelles Revenue Commission, currently on study leave to pursue my Master’s degree at Birkbeck, University of London. With a background in Public Administration and Political Science, I have spent a decade working in government statistics, using data analysis to enhance revenue collection and compliance.

I applied for the Chevening Scholarship to gain expertise in data analytics and leadership while connecting with a global network of professionals. My long-term goal is to modernize the Seychelles Revenue Commission by integrating advanced technology and data-driven decision-making, ultimately improving efficiency and transparency in the country’s financial sector.

I chose Birkbeck for its flexible learning model, which allows me to balance work and study effectively. Its focus on advanced computational techniques aligns perfectly with my vision of leveraging data science to drive public sector innovation in Seychelles.

Kasuni Chamudika – Studying MSc International Business

I hold degrees in International Studies and Business Administration. After five years as a project officer at the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, I founded SustainU, a company that empowers MSMEs by helping them develop products, access new markets, and build strategic connections.

I applied for the Chevening Scholarship to enhance my leadership and networking skills while gaining international exposure. After completing my studies, I plan to expand SustainU by developing Learning, Manufacturing, and Selling platforms, creating SME incubation centers, and becoming an international business consultant promoting Sri Lankan exports. I also hope to explore partnerships between the UK and Sri Lanka to foster business development and trade.

I chose Birkbeck for its focus on working professionals and its strong support for entrepreneurial ventures. The university’s career coaching, networking initiatives, and business-oriented programs align with my ambition to drive SME growth and global business expansion.

Marko Stankovic – Studying MSc International Security and Global Governance

I hold a Master of Laws from the University of Belgrade and have studied at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University. My professional experience includes working with the OSCE Mission to Serbia, where I contributed to police reform, human rights advocacy, and youth training initiatives.

I applied for the Chevening Scholarship to gain a top-tier education, expand my global perspective, and develop innovative approaches to security and governance challenges. My long-term ambition is to lead an international organization, promoting peace, security, equality, and human rights.

I chose Birkbeck for its interdisciplinary approach and strong focus on social and political issues. The program builds on my expertise, combining history, geopolitics, and social sciences to address modern global conflicts. This academic experience will help me transition from practical fieldwork to a broader, strategic perspective on international security.

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More Birkbeckians than Etonians in the new government

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Matt Innes is Birkbeck’s Academic and Corporate Deputy Vice-Chancellor, as well Professor of History in Birkbeck’s School of Historical Studies. Here, he reflects on the reach and impact of Birkbeck alumni.

The 2024 election saw a record number of Birkbeck graduates in the new Parliament, with a total of fourteen Birkbeck alumni and Fellows elected. Now that the final ministerial appointments have been announced, Birkbeck can count no fewer than seven alumni and fellows holding government office. These number three cabinet ministers, two ministers of state and a number of other appointments.

The total surpasses the four Birkbeck figures who took up office one hundred years ago, when the first Labour government was formed just a few years after the extension of the vote to all adult males and some women. In that hundred years, Birkbeck figures have played significant roles in a number of governments. Birkbeck is one of the few Universities whose history includes a head of institution who went on to hold ministerial office: Baroness Tessa Blackstone.

The demographic and educational background of new ministers in 2024, and the extent to which it signals a change in the established pattern of UK political life, has attracted analysis and comment. Bridget Phillipson, the new Secretary of State for Education, has spoken about the importance of social class and obstacles to educational success for many of the new Cabinet: although all bar one Cabinet members are graduates, most were the first in their family to be able to attend University, often overcoming significant barriers to do so.

Research by the Sutton Trust has shown that over 90% of the new Cabinet were educated in state secondary schools, in a sharp change even with previous Labour Cabinets (which were typically a third privately educated), and still more dramatic contrast with preceding Conservative governments (often over two thirds privately educated). Over a quarter of the new Cabinet have law qualifications, with politics and history being other popular degree subjects, including three Oxford Philosophy, Politics and Economics graduates and two Cambridge historians.

Of the 17 Prime Ministers who have held office since Winston Churchill in the Second World War, no fewer than thirteen took their undergraduate degree at Oxford (the exceptions being three ‘takeover’ Prime Ministers who came to office mid-Parliament after their predecessors stood down, rather than via the Ballot Box:  James Callaghan, John Major and Gordon Brown.

Sir Keir Starmer’s undergraduate degree from Leeds University brings the number of UK Universities with Prime Ministerial alumni to six; Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow and – of course – Birkbeck, where Ramsay MacDonald, the first working class Prime Minister, took evening classes in science.

In 1924, the Birkbeck presence in government reflected the university’s position as the institution of choice for education hungry Londoners without the means to access the traditional universities. It exemplified a broader process of change: namely the integration of the institutions and organisations of working-class self-advancement into the formal public life of the nation.

In 2024, Birkbeck’s presence again reflects a broader process of change, as a generation who benefitted from the extension of educational opportunity and university access in the late twentieth century come into office. All seven Birkbeck educated ministers undertook postgraduate or professional studies, with the distinction and flexibility for which Birkbeck is known, providing an educational bridge into professional and political careers. Four of them took Birkbeck’s prestigious politics and government portfolio, which remains popular amongst recent graduates seeking to make their way in the world of policy and politics.

Educational opportunity is one of the new Government’s five core missions, and the crisis ridden state of UK universities is a matter of urgent debate. The personal histories of so many Birkbeck graduates speak to the opportunity created by Birkbeck’s distinctive educational model and the personal and professional growth it fosters. With the university accelerating strategic changes which will deliver even greater accessibility and flexibility, Birkbeck can offer a compelling alternative to traditional university that is keenly relevant to the Government’s mission.

Note: 

Birkbeck alumni and Fellows in the Starmer government include: (Cabinet) David Lammy MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture Media & Sport; Lou Haigh MP, Secretary of State for Transport. (Ministers) Tulip Siddiq MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury & City Minister; Georgia Gould MP, Minister of State in the Cabinet Office; Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State in the Department of Work & Pensions; Hamish Falconer MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Baroness (Fiona) Twycross, Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip).

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A guide to preparing your Chevening application

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Applications for the 2025/26 Chevening, the fully funded scholarship for postgraduate students offered by the UK government, open in August. Catherine Charpentier, from Birkbeck’s International Marketing and Recruitment team, advises how to prepare to apply for the highly coveted scholarship. 

It’s official, applications for Chevening for 2025/26 open on Tuesday 6 August 2024! If you’re thinking of applying, there’s a lot you can do before this date, so here’s a roundup of some top tips.  

Double check eligibility criteria 

First of all, you want to make you meet all eligibility criteria – including citizenship and academic background. You also need to have at least two years work experience (equivalent to 2,800 hours) in order to apply. This can be in part-time or full-time employment, voluntary work or paid or unpaid internships. Work experience can be completed before, during, or after graduating from your undergraduate studies. It’s also worth noting that your work experience does not need to be related to the course/s you want to study. 

Don’t have 2,800 hours of experience just yet? Why not apply for an internship, or offer your services to a volunteer organisation to make up the total? You should meet the requirements by the time you submit your form, with applications scheduled to close in the autumn. 

Assuming you meet all the eligibility requirements, what next to help you prepare for an application?  

Gain meaningful experience 

Beyond the number of working hours accumulated, you should reflect on how your work experience demonstrates leadership qualities. What impact have you had on your company or community? 

If you think these are points you could improve on, why not take advantage of the next few months to do so? You could volunteer to take on extra responsibilities at work, or lead on a project for an organisation you are involved with, or even organise an event for a charity. 

Develop your network 

In your application, you will be required to demonstrate your networking skills. Spend the next few months engaging with your network; reactivate old links and build new relationships, attend community events, support local groups, a professional organisation, or your local Chevening alumni network.   

You can refer to Birkbeck Futures, The Importance of Networking guide, for tips and advice to develop a networking strategy. 

Choose your programme of study 

Selecting the right courses at the right universities is one of the most important aspects of your application. Only full-time courses that start in the autumn term, and lead to a taught master’s qualification are eligible. Visit university websites, explore modules, find out what student’s have to say about their experiences, and check you meet the institution’s entry requirements before selecting your programme.   

Remember you must be able to demonstrate both why you selected the specific Master’s and institution, and how the qualification you will gain aligns with your short, mid and long-term goals. 

Select your referees 

You will have to give the name of two referees in your application. Use the next few months to select who you think could provide positive and meaningful references for you. Get in touch now, keep the relationship alive and remind them of all the reasons why you will be deserving of this glorious reference when the time comes! 

Further Information:  

“Birkbeck’s Consultancy Challenge in partnership with PA Consulting has prepared me well for a successful career”

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In this blog, Dr David Gamblin, module convenor of the Consultancy Challenge and Programme Director for MSc Management Consultancy and Organisational Change, shares more information about the consultancy project students are offered with PA Consulting, a global management consultancy. Three students share their experiences of taking part in the challenge.

Birkbeck students celebrating the end of their Consultancy Challenge projects with their clients, mentors and supervisors

It is always a particular highlight of the academic year to witness the students complete their Consultancy Challenge projects. Over a busy 12-week consultancy cycle, the students work diligently from the initial scoping of the briefs with their client, all the way to the final presentation of deliverables – with plenty of rapport building, teamwork, data collection, and problem solving along the way.

These projects are an ideal exposure to the world of consultancy, with student teams working with real clients, on real problems that the clients need solving. The impact is real too, and with the projects’ focusing on the charity sector, it means that the students are making a beneficial difference to organisations, staff, and volunteers who are serving often vulnerable populations.

Whilst the work is challenging, the student teams are supported along their journey by PA Consulting who provide expert mentorship and guidance. Through PA’s approach of continuous feedback, the students are challenged to deliver work that PA would be proud of, in a supportive and stimulating environment. This provides the students with the perfect opportunity to put their knowledge and learning into practice, and learn crucial consultancy skills over the project and beyond.

My sincerest thanks go out to all of the consultants at PA with whom we have the pleasure of working, for providing our students with their support and expertise. The collaboration is approaching a decade now, and it is truly rewarding to reflect on the student journeys each year, how they have grown from this rich experience, and the difference that can be made through this innovative relationship.

Birkbeck students with PA Consultants and Birkbeck supervisors

Student testimonial, Ma. Teresa Manrique, Consultancy Challenge 2023
The Consultancy Challenge was the highlight of the MSc Management Consultancy and Organisational Change degree for me. It gave me the opportunity to apply and refine the skills I had learned throughout the course, and to test my knowledge with the guidance of my mentors and tutors.

Working with PA and the client was a valuable experience. They treated our team with professionalism and engaged with us as professionals, not as students. After presentations, they gave feedback on our performance and how we could improve. The challenge taught me how to work in a multicultural and dynamic setting. I learned how to adapt to British culture and how to work effectively with colleagues and clients from different backgrounds. I also learned the importance of being resourceful and assertive in order to deliver on commitments. Having worked for a client in a line of work that I had no experience in was especially rewarding. It gave me the opportunity to learn about their advocacy and to develop my own skills in this area.

Overall, the Consultancy Challenge has made me more confident in my ability to seek employment in the UK. I am now ready to apply the skills and knowledge I have gained to make a significant contribution to any organization. I have also made some valuable connections with other students and professionals in the field of management consultancy. I am confident that these relationships will continue to benefit me throughout my career. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the Consultancy Challenge. It has been a challenging but rewarding experience, and I am confident that it has prepared me well for a successful career in management consultancy.

Student testimonial, Tonia-Lee Smith, Consultancy Challenge 2023
I had the opportunity to participate in the Consultancy Challenge, not only as a member of the team but also as a team facilitator. David had warned us that it wasn’t called the Consultancy Challenge for name’s sake, but that it was designed to challenge us to grow and work in a way that we hadn’t previously and find innovative solutions to our problems.

I’ve spent most of my time in academic settings and my work experience had been in more casual environments, so, while I was excited to be working with and learning from PA, I was also nervous, as I didn’t know what to expect. PA did an amazing job at setting the tone from the beginning and managing expectations. My mentor, Hannah, was the key to our success in the project. She was great at anticipating the needs of our group and the client’s as well. Her experience and authenticity helped us feel more comfortable in our roles. PA did a thorough job offering feedback and Hannah did a great job of helping us apply the advice in a practical way.

I’ve learned a lot about delegation, project management, leadership, the importance of a strong and consistent work ethic, and of course consulting with a client and that’s not even the entire list. This experience, though more challenging than I could have imagined, is something I would do again. The tips and help I received from everyone involved in the process is invaluable to me and are things that I’ve already started applying in both my professional and personal life and I’m sure will be most useful to me as I delve deeper into my career.

Birkbeck students celebrating the end of their Consultancy Challenge project with Emily Hill, Principal Consultant at PA, and Dr David Gamblin, Consultancy Challenge convenor at Birkbeck

Student testimonial, Ngozi Anuforo, Consultancy Challenge 2022
The Consultancy Challenge offered me a personal and professional challenge and it was a fantastic opportunity to draw together my learning on the Master’s degree.

I found the challenge inspiring and valued the way in which working on a real organisational dilemma created the chance to draw on the support and guidance from experienced colleagues at PA Consulting and Birkbeck. I gained a huge amount from the diversity and range of skills and knowledge amongst the other students in my team.

I would highly recommend the Consultancy Challenge to anyone wanting to grow their professional confidence and ability to deliver effective consultancy practice with a high degree of insight and reflection. Undertaking the challenge enabled me to bring existing experience and knowledge to the fore, and motivated me to continue expanding, and deepening my practice, as a consultant.

Further information