Summer 2024, I did an internship at British Future, a London based think tank which focuses on migration, integration and race. I had an amazing time there.

My placement enabled me to contribute to impactful research that shapes policy and equips the media with evidence-based insights grounded in public attitudes. I have participated in various research stages from developing an idea, drafting a research proposal, mapping potential funders, designing research, data collection, including running focus groups, conducting qualitative data analysis, structuring a report and co-authoring it.

The team at British Future is very supportive and offered me diverse insights into conducting socially relevant research and effectively communicating and advocating for it. During my placement, I met inspiring people dedicated to social change, particularly while coordinating the Windrush 100 network.

Most importantly, I co-authored a report on public attitudes on international students. This research was conducted during the last elections, of which migration was a contested topic and some restrictions on international students were introduced by the previous government and discussed during the elections. Based on data from focus groups and polling across the UK the report suggested that even amidst the polarized migration debate, most of the public recognizes the importance of international students and opposes reducing their numbers.

The report attracted a lot of attention, and received great media coverage by the observer. We were later hosted by UCL to present our findings in a podcast.

The internship was a cooperation between UBEL and British Future. UBEL funded my internship by extending my doctoral studentship by three months. That enabled me to expand my network, gain insights on research beyond academia, explore job opportunities outside of academia and co-author impactful research on a very crucial topic.