Global political disruptors - Afternoon

Course Programme

14:00 Vladimir Putin: Effective Authoritarian? Sir Tony Brenton

Vladimir Putin came out of obscurity to become President of Russia at the end of 1999. He has now been in power longer than any other twentieth century ruler of Russia except Stalin. Under him the country has been transformed from a bankrupt basket case into a key international actor, but has seen political freedoms significantly curbed. How has he done it, and where will he take Russia next?

15:15 Tea

15:45 Xi Jinping's China at the crossroads Dr Sung-Mi Kim

Xi Jinping became the president of the People’s Republic of China in 2013, ruling the world’s largest population and second-largest economy without termly limitations. Compared to his predecessors whose foreign policies were typically low-key and cautious, Xi is widely perceived as a strong leader unafraid of projecting China’s growing confidence regionally and globally. This lecture discusses domestic and international dimensions of Xi’s leadership to delineate some of the challenges facing the strong but beleaguered leader.

17.00 Day school ends

Lunch

A selection of sandwiches will be available to purchase in the Terrace Bar.

Additional requirements

ICE is committed to providing equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality. We aim to support and encourage under-represented groups, promote an inclusive culture, and value diversity.

Further information about student support.

Entry requirements

No academic qualification is required, and most courses are suitable for students who are new to the subject.

All teaching is in English (unless a foreign-language course). If your first language is not English, you need to satisfy yourself that you have the required near-native command of the language to get the maximum benefit from studying with ICE.

This course takes place at Madingley Hall, home to the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.

About Madingley Hall

Madingley Hall itself is an impressive manor house dating back to the mid-16th century. The decoration of the Saloon and the formal Stair Hall was carried out 200 years later, and the whole fabric was renovated with great care around 1900. About four miles from the centre of Cambridge, the Hall stands in several acres of beautifully-maintained gardens and overlooks a landscape which has changed relatively little since it was laid out by Capability Brown. It is just four miles from the centre of Cambridge, and only 60 minutes from London, with excellent links to London airports.

Getting here

For more information see directions to Madingley Hall

We now have a mini-bus service which runs between the station and Madingley Hall. For the timetable and further information, please see our Lifelong Learning page or contact the reception desk at ICE.