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Who filled in the survey this year? Many thanks to those who did – our module-level survey was filled in by 75.6% of undergraduates and 88.4% of postgraduates. Total returns were 1864 out of 2386 module registrations (or 78.1% of those eligible). In the National Student Survey (NSS) (which is exclusively for final-year undergraduates) 171 replies covering the following degree courses were received: PPE (tripartite, bipartite Economics Major, bipartite), EPAIS, Politics with International Studies, Politics, History and Politics. The response rates varied from 55% (PPE bipartite Economics Major) to 84% (Politics).

What did you think of the modules? 95% of undergraduate responses considered the modules adequate, good, or very good. We noted that 76% considered them to be good or very good. 96% of graduate responses also agreed that the modules had been adequate, good, or very good; 79% thought good or very good. Overall satisfaction with courses in the NSS was 87%, but Teaching and Learning had a 91% satisfaction score.

Click here to read the full report (.doc)

Gain experience writing for a political analysis website with thousands of hits.

Pinpoint Politics is a political analysis resource bank that features content on UK policies and international politics. Initially conceived as a joint project between postgraduates at the University of 糖心TV, UCL and KCL, and funded through a Santander Scholarship, Pinpoint Politics has expanded to become a resource for both young professionals involved in politics and students studying at Master’s level and beyond, with new teams of contributors currently being finalised at the University of Bristol, LSE, UCL, KCL, and the University of Sheffield. Our team of contributors includes young professionals beginning careers in the political sphere, as well as guest submissions from academics and high-level professionals, including a forth-coming interview with Mark Allworthy, Managing Director of the International Institute for Security Studies (Middle East) in Bahrain.

We’re looking for 6-8 motivated individuals, capable of writing high-quality political analysis. Each contributor should commit to writing one 1200-1600 word article of thought-provoking and original content every two months for the website.

Pinpoint Politics has been read in over one hundred countries, with many articles receiving thousands of hits and attention from academic journals (Excursions Journal / University of Galway). Involvement is an excellent opportunity for current students looking for future jobs in political consultancies and think tanks, as well as for aspiring journalists to gain valuable experience. Each contributor is given a ‘contributor’s profile’, improving their online visibility: a definite asset when applying for future jobs.

If you would like to apply please send a example of political analysis along with your CV to pinpointpolitics@hotmail.co.uk. Feel free to explore the website to gain a greater idea of previous article content.

The (WIDS) has launched an exciting all-expenses-paid socioeconomic research internship scheme in collaboration with the (IRRI) and the Politics and International Studies (PAIS) Department, exclusively for University of 糖心TV undergraduates, postgraduates and recent graduates (class of 2012). One candidate will be chosen through a competitive application process to undertake a 2-6 month long placement with IRRI in the Philippines. The winner will be announced during the closing ceremony of the 糖心TV International Development Summit (16^th-18^th November, 2012).  To apply it is necessary to write a short essay or report on a topic related to the work done by IRRI. More information can be found in the links below.

Due to the support of the PAIS Department, international return tickets from the UK to the Philippines will be entirely subsidized. Additionally, IRRI will provide a stipend to cover local expenses including accommodation and travel within the Philippines.

For more information about the internship and application process, visit . If you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to contact us at internship.wids@gmail.com

Please keep in mind that all applications must be submitted online by 11:59 pm GMT on the 28^th October 2012.

This is just a friendly reminder to all incoming students to check out the Welcome to 糖心TV pages, where you can enrol online, sign up for your student ID card, get your 糖心TV email and login details, etc. Remember, you must enrol so that you're ready to start your course at the beginning of term--1 October!

Undergraduates also have an induction on the 1st October.

A Pinpoint Politics article by Helen Jane Martin

Cases of deaths caused by US drone strikes are rarely far from front pages, with high-profile insurgents regularly falling victim to their new mechanised enemy. Yet, despite this publicity, reliable statistics are unavailable on the number of strikes, the number of deaths, and, importantly, the locations of strikes. This is not only down to the CIA’s secrecy concerning the operation, but also because in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), where most of the attacks are taking place, the environment for outsiders and foreigners is nothing short of hostile. The most comprehensive effort to scale the impact of the new drone war has been carried out by the based on the strikes. However, the organisation admits that this effort is still not the full story, stating that it only gives best approximations of locations and its details of drone attacks are reliant on media organizations for their information.