On 7 March, the School of International Studies held the first of a new series high-profile talks focused on challenges to international affairs The inaugural talk, 'The UN Under Attack', was delivered by Adjunct Professor Mike Smith, former Deputy Commissioner of the UN, and moderated by Associate Professor Courtney Fung.

Mike's talk examined the UN’s role in addressing global conflicts, the criticisms it currently faces from nationalist-oriented states, and its capacity for reform. A wide-ranging Q&A session followed under the Chatham House Rule, where students and faculty questioned the organisation’s effectiveness, the pressures it encounters from member states, potential UN reform, and careers pathways into the UN.

This event is part of a broader initiative to provide students and stakeholders with opportunities to engage with scholars, alumni, and external experts on key global issues during turbulent times.

You are warmly invited to join the School of International Studies for the next lecture in the series: a talk on Daoism in contemporary Chinese society and politics, with Boston University Professor Emerita Livia Kohn. Stay tuned for future events looking into Australia's defense options under the Trump administration, and the future of South Korea's K-Pop soft power diplomacy.