William Baulch - practical skills and impressive guest lecturers
William Baulch completed a Bachelor of International Security Studies and a Bachelor of International Relations at The Australian National University (ANU). William is currently the Managing Editor for Foreign Brief, where he has had the opportunity to publish widely on international political and security issues.
William decided that if he was going to undertake political studies (a topic he enjoyed in secondary school) at a tertiary level, he should go to the place that offered the best return on his investment in terms of education and employment prospects.
ANU is consistently ranked in the top 10 universities in the world for its politics and international relations programs. International Security Studies complemented and contrasted with the International Relations degree, giving me a deeper understanding of complex global issues and a broader understanding of the international landscape.
William considers himself lucky to have taken a wide range of courses during his degree. “Some courses were a lot of fun because of experiences such as field trips and wargaming. Others felt incredibly valuable because they gave me insight into topics I would never have been able to access by myself. I cannot pick any one course that stands above the others, which I believe reflects the quality of education at the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs and ANU.”
He states that throughout his degree he could do practical exercises, such as planning responses to security crises or determining the reliability of human-sourced intelligence. “The reputation and position of ANU in the national capital meant there was a steady flow of guest speakers, usually high-ranking officials or experts in their fields, and their real-world insight into the political challenges were always highlights.”
William's best piece of advice for students is “don’t be afraid to be proactive. This is a good life rule, but one that can be developed at university. The Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs offers an amazing variety of opportunities but they need to be seized upon; they will not come looking for you. Speak with your lecturers, ask for advice from your tutors, join some student societies, and put your opinions in the public domain. If you do nothing else, the ANU will give you a world-class education; if you put yourself out there, it can set you up for life,” he concludes.
