The International Security and Intelligence program at Cambridge University
What is the International Security and Intelligence Programme, and how did you hear about it?
The International Security and Intelligence Program (ISI) is a 4-week study abroad program that takes place at Emmanuel College in the University of Cambridge in the UK. The program is an intensive course that allows you to write your own research paper with the guidance of an assigned supervisor. The program is in collaboration with the Department of War Studies at King's College London and brings in lecturers, speakers, and opportunities that allow its students to grasp a better understanding of intelligence and security. I heard about this program from a departmental email sent out by ISP of all things. It sounded interesting, and I thought it would be a good way to dip into security and figure out if that field is the one I want to pursue. The prospect of doing my own research was also very enticing.
What were your expectations? Did they meet or go beyond those expectations?
To be quite frank, I had zero confidence that I would get accepted into this program. So when I got my acceptance email, my heart was racing out of my chest. I was so shocked and extremely nervous. My expectations going in were that the program was going to be very serious and that I needed to focus on my research and maybe network a little bit. I was ready for a month of hellish studying. The experience I got was anything but hellish. It was so fun and intellectually stimulating; my first lecture started off with a Miley Cyrus music video of all things (it was Party in the USA since a majority of the cohort was from the states). This program has not only expanded my understanding of intelligence, but it has also expanded my friend group! I have made lifelong friends at this program and have suddenly gained pen pals from Australia and all over the UK and the US. The research that I did turned out better than expected, and my supervisor has inspired me to refine it and expand on it further.
How did you feel when you were in a place of like-minded individuals to conduct research and connect with one another?
When you're in a place with like-minded individuals, especially the individuals in your supervision group—who would either have the same regional specialty as you (in my case it was the Middle East) or a similar topic of interest (such as AI, weapons, culture, etc.)—you enter this state of awe that you didn't know was possible. You realize that there are so many cool and interesting people in this world with so much to contribute. Most of the cohort were already in graduate school, conducting their own research, and were using this program to expand even further on their research from a new angle, while others were employed in their respective countries' foreign affairs or security departments, and a handful were current undergraduates hoping to step into the field of security. Not everyone was a political science major; we had students in archeology, physics, anthropology, public health, etc. Everyone was welcome and had a unique perspective to contribute. There were times when opinions clashed, but that's the nature of politics and intel. At the end of the day, everyone was respectful and always down for a good time. My friend group frequented many game and movie nights hosted by the operations team, as well as made our own movie nights (we rewatched the entire Pirates of the Caribbean franchise; it was magnificent) The operations team is also wonderful and so personable; they take everyone's suggestions very seriously and make sure we are all comfortable, having fun, and learning lots. They took us on trips to Bletchley Park, London, and museums and even hosted a USA vs. the World soccer/football match!
What was your favorite lecture or seminar there? What was it about? Explain the experience and a highlight of that session.
My favorite lecture has to be the lecture given by Faisal Ajmal, a former Director of Intelligence from Pakistan. There were only two Pakistani students in the entire cohort, me included, so both of us got very excited to hear what a director of intelligence from the homeland had to say. The lecture that Faisal Ajmal gave provided a lot of context towards the strategic and geopolitical importance of the South Asia region, more specifically Pakistan and Afghanistan. The highlight in that lecture has to be how he linked the realities of geography to the various political and economic decisions made by Pakistan. I also liked how he expanded on China's economic investment into Pakistan and why it is such a big deal. My friend and I didn't realize how extensive it was until that lecture.
What kind of research did you do or learn about? How will it apply to your academic career?
I did research on the use of sexual violence within Israeli detention facilities and how this impacted their counterterrorism strategy. My research was mentally taxing, but I know that it is also important. A majority of my interests and research within UCSD has been about sexual violence within conflict, mainly as a weapon of war. By taking a different approach and viewing sexual violence as a security issue—especially within counterterrorism strategies—I was able to contribute a new angle on why SV should be taken more seriously, especially during times of conflict. The research that I did during the ISI program is research I'm hoping to expand on and delve into further during graduate school.
What can you tell undergraduate students about why they should attend this program and how it will benefit them in the future?
I took this program wanting to learn more about international intelligence and security; I didn't even know what that fully meant when I applied. My teachers were former CIA officers, heads of intelligence, or researchers at the top of their field. Even if you come out of this program with the realization that you don't want to go into intelligence or security, the connections, research methods, and experience are well worth it. The process of writing a research paper with my supervisor gave me the confidence, criticism, and techniques that I need in order to succeed with future research in graduate school.
Connect with us!