Graduation Ceremony for the classes of 2020 and 2021

On 16 March, we were really happy to see more than 250 SSEES graduates return to London and have a special in-person Graduation Ceremony at the Excel Centre. Accompanied by their families and friends, this celebration started in the Main Quad Marquee at a brunch reception, where the graduates also had the opportunity to meet with Dr Pete Duncan and Angela Garrett, Co-Presidents of the SSEES Alumni Association. Academic colleagues joined in the celebrations to reunite with their former students. Later in the afternoon, UCL President & Provost Dr Michael Spence together with SSEES Director Prof Diane P. Koenker opened the Ceremony for the classes of 2020 and 2021. Misha Glenny, journalist, broadcaster, and historian, gave pertinent remarks on the role of local language knowledge in the building of interpersonal trust, drawing on his own experience as a free-lance journalist in Central and Eastern Europe.  He also paid tribute to the riches of the SSEES library, where he spent many hours working on his book, McMafia.  

It was a great celebration for many and you can see more on social media #UCLgrad #SSEES. Thanks to all UCL staff who made these celebrations possible. Within two weeks, UCL welcomed more than 15,000 graduates and their guests.