Foreign and Commonwealth Office defence attaché hosts tour for business students

Second Year BA (Hons) Global Business Management students from the London Campus visited the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall, central London.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has a worldwide network of embassies and consulates, employing over 14,000 people in nearly 270 diplomatic offices. The office works with international organisations on a daily basis to promote UK interests and global security, including the EU, NATO, the United Nations, the UN Security Council and the Commonwealth.

The students visit was hosted by a FCO defence attaché, who was previously stationed in Iraq and Yemen. Students heard about the role that history played in shaping current foreign policy, and asked a range of questions about the work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In addition, they enjoyed an informative tour of the building, which included learning about the history and architecture of the site.

As part of the BA (Hons) Global Business Management programme students study business and cultural relations within Europe. A visit to the Locarno Suite was of particular interest as it was famously used as the room where the Locarno Treaties were signed in 1925. These treaties were a series of agreements whereby Germany, France, Belgium, Great Britain, and Italy mutually guaranteed peace in Western Europe. 

Other highlights of the visit included seeing the India Office and learning more about how the FCO promotes the United Kingdom's interests overseas, supporting citizens and businesses around the globe.

Lead Teaching Fellow Cesar Pelsuo said:

“This visit has once more proved that it is truly fundamental to provide external exposure to students and show them how the time they spend in the classroom directly relates to the real world.”