Introducing the BISA/BFPG Undergraduate Network committee 2026-27
We are thrilled to announce the 2026-27 BISA/BFPG Undergraduate Network (UGN) committee. The committee will be chaired by Julia Brown who is a third-year student at the University of St Andrews.
The inaugural committee put together some wonderful events across the country, including an event with the EU Ambassador to the UK at the University of Warwick. This year there will be a focus on hosting online events in addition to in-person ones, and we also have a master’s student rep for the first time — based on feedback from event attendees who asked for the network to open its door to taught master’s students.
Juliet Dryden, CEO/Director of BISA said:
“Once again we had a strong set of applications for committee places. Both BISA and the British Foreign Policy Group (BFPG) are excited to work with the new committee and to continue to grow the network. Our ambition for 2026-27 is to put on several in-person events with high-calibre speakers who are experts in politics and international affairs, create networking opportunities for students from universities across the UK, and increase the number of online opportunities so that the Network is accessible to all students, even if they are unable to travel to in-person events.”
The 2026-27 committee comprises:
Julia Brown, University of St Andrews – Chair
"Hello! My name is Julia Brown and I am an incoming third-year undergraduate student at the University of St Andrews in International Relations and French. I am especially passionate about environmental policy, international law, and women's involvement in global politics. Having been on the committee last year, I am excited to work with new members and see how we can broaden the UGN's reach in terms of topics and events this year! "
Beccie White, University of St Andrews – Vice Chair
Beccie White (she/her) is a final-year French and International Relations student at the University of St Andrews, originally from Edinburgh. She is looking forward to returning to the UGN committee for her second year, having previously served as the inaugural Chair. She is particularly looking forward to expanding the UGN’s programme of employability-focused and online events.
Mirabel Kodua, University of Warwick – Communications officer
"Hi, my name is Mirabel. I am a second-year history and politics student at the University of Warwick. I have a passion for politics, international relations and community advocacy. With hands-on experience in grassroots campaigning, political events, tutoring under-represented students, and constituency engagement, I am eager to bring my enthusiasm, resilience, and commitment to the team. Outside of this, I own a creative direction styling account where I organise photoshoots and regularly use social media to promote my visions. I also plan, organise and host a wide range of events, including cultural celebrations, awareness evenings, creative exhibitions and fashion shows. My other hobbies include hiking, dancing and reading."
Darren De Souza, King’s College London – Master's representative/Mentor
Darren is a policy and public affairs professional with international experience in London, Brussels, Lisbon and New York. He sits on the BFPG/British Council's UK Soft Power Group (UKSPG) and authored a report on the topic, regularly engaging with colleagues and organisations across foreign policy, international affairs and diplomacy. He has presented and been published internationally, and his work has been cited by UNESCO. He has extensive experience in policy analysis, project management, senior stakeholder relations and event organisation.
Darren previously worked in European research policy/public affairs and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in History & Portuguese from the University of Leeds. He graduated top of both disciplines and received multiple academic awards including the John Le Patourel prize for best dissertation. He is a current MSc Global Affairs student at King’s College London focusing on regional and rising powers and also serves as a board trustee for London Nightline.
Joan Gabriel, University of Surrey – Committee member
"Hello, my name is Joan Pyuza Gabriel and I am a third-year Politics and Sociology student at the University of Surrey. My favourite academic passions are neocolonialism’s impact on indigenous tribes and the international political economy. As a committee member I am looking forward to expanding this network to reach more of my peers, encouraging their engagement with international relations and collaborating with scholars and experts from all backgrounds. When I’m not studying, I am with my hiking group climbing Seven Sisters or I am cooking new recipes for my family. "
Kana Shimahara, University of Sussex — Committee member
"I am Kana Shimahara, a final-year student in International Relations and Development at the University of Sussex. I am truly honoured to be appointed as a committee member for 2026-27. My volunteering experience at the BISA 2026 conference inspired me to contribute more actively to creating networking opportunities for undergraduate students. I am excited to work with fellow committee members to organise meaningful and accessible networking events that support students' academic and professional growth."
Daniel Yates, University of Warwick – Committee member
Dan is a final-year History and Politics student at the University of Warwick, with a keen interest in both international relations and populism.
He spent a year at the National University of Singapore, studying Singapore's administration and foreign policy as well as regional studies and an Arabic language class. He worked at the Brand and AI Safety Summit during his time there, a large event bringing together over 200 technology and media executives.
He co-hosts Well-Informed, Warwick Think Tank's newly relaunched podcast, where he has interviewed figures including Sir Vince Cable (former UK Business Secretary), Adam Bodnar (former Polish Justice Minister), and Hannah White (CEO for the Institute for Government). He has also been Deputy Editor at Perspectives, Warwick's student political commentary magazine.
His interests centre around UK-ASEAN and UK-Singaporean relations and he hopes to host events examining the partnerships between the regions.
If you are an undergraduate student, you can join the Network by joining BISA with Undergraduate Network membership for just £10.50. This includes access to all open events alongside other benefits such as book discounts with Cambridge University Press. Non-members will be able to attend events by paying a small registration fee. Make sure you join the UGN mailing list to hear about upcoming events as details are released.
Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash