Francesca Saunders
(BSocSc) in Politics and International Relations (2018)
Francesca is a South Asia Desk Officer working for the Scottish Government. She graduated from Manchester with BSocSc in Politics and International Relations in 2018. Here, she talks about what she does now and how she got there following her time at Manchester.
My current role and how I got there
I manage the Scottish Governments relationship with South Asia, particularly focusing on building networks with Pakistan and India, both at home and abroad. I manage Grants and Scholarships for South Asia, and Scottish Government funded projects that focus specifically on Gender Equality, the Environment, and Education. I also provide ministerial support and organise ministerial visits.
I never knew that I would end up working in this sector when I started my degree, but the transferable skills from the Politics and International Relations degree have helped to set me up for my current role enormously. Independent research, writing, and group work in particular helped me gain the skills I need to get where I am today
I am currently studying a part-time law degree with the Open University, my time at The University of Manchester and my experience in this role has helped me realise that ultimately, I want a career in the UN working on International Law and Climate Change.
My experience at Manchester
As soon as I saw the University of Manchester, I loved the campus and I was impressed by the reputation, but the ability to take a language module was the biggest draw for me.
The best thing about studying at Manchester was ‘the kindness of strangers’, so to speak. I had never been one to ask for help, but the level of care and understanding that the support staff in Social Sciences showed me helped me to learn the vital importance of asking for help – and that there will always be people who want to help you if you ask.
My advice for future students
If I could offer one piece of advice to future students, it would be read! And when you have finished, read some more. Make notes as you read, including questions if there is something you don’t understand, this will help throughout the course, but also in your career. Reading is great for developing critical thinking skills, but it also helps you to develop your writing skills too.