My name’s Ella Aleksanyan and I come from Armenia. Two years ago, I graduated from a linguistic school in Russia and made a life-changing decision of moving abroad for university. Throughout my research of Higher Education institutions around the world, I found out that the UK offers the best quality. In order to pursue an undergraduate degree in the UK as a student with a Russian diploma, I was required to take a foundation programme. It is worth mentioning that I always knew I wanted to get involved in international relations and considered such pathways, which would eventually direct me into my area of interest. I chose an undergraduate course called Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) and based the search of foundation programmes on progression routes into this specific course. Economics IFP turned out to be the most convenient pathway in my case, while Warwick University was in top rankings for PPE. This is how I ended up at Warwick IFP.
The highlight of my course was definitely the presentation of my research project for the Inquiry & Research module. The learning process was especially enjoyable due to the opportunity of choosing our own research questions – I personally focused on the link between feminism, politics and developing economies.
Since I’ve constantly tried to find connections with my undergraduate course material, my transition from Economics IFP to PPE went very smooth. By the time I started my course, I had already developed the basic skillsets needed for good academic achievements in the UK educational system particularly – examples would be Public speaking, Research, Writing, Mathematical and Statistical Techniques, Economic modelling, etc.
I engaged in the work of various societies throughout my foundation year – one of these was IFP Society itself. After graduation, I was interviewed and successfully selected for an executive position as the Head of Peer Mentoring Scheme. At the moment, my prime responsibility is to allocate mentors to new IFP students, track their cooperation and make the learning process as enjoyable as possible. In addition to this, I am currently the President of Armenian Society, the Vice President of International Relations Society, Student Ambassador, Student Volunteer and Co-creation Officer.
Therefore, my main advice for incoming IFP students is to get involved in societies – academic, sports or volunteering. These are the best way to meet like-minded students and build strong connections. Never undervalue your social life, because that’s what keeps you motivated and enhances your academic productivity!
