International development is the intersectional study of policies and projects used to develop the environment, societies, and governments around the globe. This includes areas such as food and water security, human rights and refugee crises, healthcare and education, economics, business, innovation, technology, as well as law and politics. Our society welcomes individuals from any and all disciplines who are interested in making our world a better place through research, policy-making, and social enterprise. Our ethos is that of inclusion, intellectual diversity, and critical examination. We hold a variety of events dedicated to understanding, discussing, and proactively engaging with issues in global development: TALKS: We run a speaker series throughout the year, hosting a diverse set of academics and professionals from the field of development, such as Jeffrey Sachs and Neil Buhne. ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS: We also facilitate frequent student-lead roundtable events, which focus on discussing the most controversial and thought-provoking issues in contemporary development to find actual solutions to actual problems. CAREERS: By partnering with various organisations such as UNICEF and ODI, The society is able to provide Internship opportunities for members to gain hands-on experience in the industry, as well as information and networking sessions with industry pioneers. SOCIALS: One of the most important aspects of any society is socialising. We plan to have regular socials throughout the first two terms, such as meals, flagship WIDS Symposiums, Hackathons, and something to rival last year’s popular WIDS laser tag! MAGAZINE: A key goal for us is kickstarting a new development-themed online magazine which is relevant and useful for students and professionals alike. CONFERENCES: We intend to organise a society trip to international development conferences in other UK universities, such as Bristol International Development Conference or Oxford’s.
