What I learnt throughout the Scholarship
Completing the Laidlaw Scholarship has taught me many things. One thing that springs to mind is that it taught me that I am capable. As scholars, we're asked to do a lot which is new to us. We go through a competitive application process, before doing our research projects and LIAs programmes. All of these things ask us to experiment with new ideas and skills, and inevitably make mistakes, which is important to the learning process.
I remember looking at the Scholarship and the application process during the Christmas holidays of my first year at University. Seeing all the things that I mentioned above, I thought that it was an incredible amount of work. Would it even be worth applying to something so competitive, if actually doing the Scholarship would also take up so much of my time and energy?
I think what 'sold' it for me was how I could see quite clearly how beneficial doing the Scholarship would be. How would I be putting myself out there over the next few years beyond doing my degree? Summer internships for first year students, in the UK at least, are something of an anomaly. At the same time, I knew that I wanted to do something both meaningful and have the support that being paid to do your work confers. Not only this, but I also thought the nature of the LIA programme was an interesting and useful way of learning about different cultures. And so, I was motivated to seriously commit to my application. I spent hours researching the Scholarship, networking with scholars, rewriting my drafts and practicing my interviewing skills, which paid off.
Getting the Scholarship after working so hard on the application was a validating experience – it went to show that I was indeed capable. This was all the more confirmed as I went through the programme.
Regarding my research project, I was fortunate to have one specific moment when the weeks of research and organisation seemed to 'pay off' in the form of my and my supervisor's brochure being published on the University Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) website. Seeing my name next to a published piece of work for the first time was very encouraging. If you'd have said to me when I was in school, or even when I initially started university, that I would have accomplished something like this, I would've struggled to understand how I got there. Now, I'm a lot more confident in my abilities.
Thinking about my LIA programme, I think it showed me how one person's mindset can change so considerably when the support and self-belief is there. Spending six weeks living and working in rural Uganda as I did is both an amazing opportunity, but also something which you'll inevitably have doubts about. There were times where I was struggling in my own mind about my capabilities, but I think having a 'give-it-a-go' attitude in these situations is helpful. And if things go wrong, again, you'll be able to learn from your mistakes.
On Global Citizenship
'Global citizenship' was something of an obscure phrase to me when I first started university, and in many ways, I still wouldn't say I have a clear understanding of it. I think it's one of those things which needs experience to truly understand it – to use a rough analogy, rather like what it's like to drive a car or run a marathon. You can understand the dictionary definition, but might not appreciate it in the same way without having said experience.
There's no right or wrong way to get this experience – I think it boils down to international discourse, and having conversations with people beyond your own communities. The Scholarship is, of course, conducive to this through the LIA programme and the international nature of its intake.
But what does global citizenship really mean to me? I believe it's having something of an awareness of the different communities around the world, and at the risk of sounding glib, what brings us together and the challenges that we as the 'global community' confront. The climate crisis threatens life as we know it, whilst the rules-based international order, democracy and social progress (I.e. equality between different groups) as 'fashionable' political goals seem to be breaking down. There's no easy fix to these issues, but a large part of solving them involves being mindful of the wider world and being prepared to trade-off personal benefits for a wider good. I appreciate this sounds wishy-washy, so a few case in points may be:
- Consuming less, and buying from ethical providers even if it means paying a higher price.
- The developed world being prepared to help the developing world and its citizens - this includes both international outreach and maintaining conventions around asylum.
- Respecting each other's cultures and values whilst also recognising the sanctity of human rights, and convincing people of the value of social progress.
On Ethical Leadership
Leadership in general, let alone that with the 'ethical' prefix, was similarly a fairly obscure phrase when I started university. However, as it's a central theme to the Scholarship, I've been made to think about it considerably since.
I suppose my understanding of leadership before I attended any Laidlaw-affiliated workshops or talks about it, was that it was where one person, the boss, essentially directed a group of other people. Since then, I've learnt that leadership is about a lot more, such as:
- 'Taking people with you' - in other words, a leader should convince their colleagues of a plan of action, rather than merely instructing them and relying on their authority.
- A leader should be prepared to take up the mantle when nobody else in the team wants to. I especially observed this when completing my LIA.
- Taking initiative. Thinking about various possibilities and potential tasks isn't good enough - a leader must talk to their team and make the checks.
I could go on, but for brevity's sake, I'll leave it there and note that leadership is a complex thing and that it means different things to different people.
Where does 'ethicality' come in? I think an ethical leader is sensitive to the issues affecting their team and their task at hand. Again, this may sound wishy-washy, so a few examples for clarity:
- Choosing to work for/with organisations which have a positive impact.
- Researching their team's access requirements and personal wishes, and adapting accordingly.
- Having the strength to take a stand against malpractices.