Technology
and Innovation
Advanced SOC's,
Quantum computing
The race to build the future
Chips
They power everything from military weapons to the iPhone in your pocket -- increasingly they are built in one concentrated area of the world.
South East Asian companies dominate microchip manufacturing, especially in advanced chips, where TSMC and Samsung of Korea produce 92, and 8% of the world’s supplies of 10 nanometre and below chips.This dependence is set to increase, or at least remain the same as TSMC invests $100 billion over the next three years and Samsung seeks to increase its competitiveness in advanced manufacturing, planning to introduce 2nm production by 2025.
1000 qubits?
IBM said they plan to create a 1000-qubit processor by the end of 2023, showing the race is well and truly on in the West to achieve quantum superiority
With the advent of AI and the continued growth of technology, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic which has effectively catalysed our such reliances, governments are funnelling increasing proportions of GDP into Research and Development (R&D) funding. With China taking a phenomenal lead, undoubtedly spending the most on technological development, it will become of utmost importance to consider how this will impact other societies as international power relations shift. China has already made it clear that their incomparably high R&D expenditure reflects their goal to dominate fields related to technology and innovation. As trade and wider political relations between the USA and China continue to gradually break down, China achieving supremacy in the various technology races could certainly change societies worldwide as we know them. Hence, by analysing the Semiconductor Manufacturing Race in Taiwan; the race for AI weaponry development; and the race for quantum supremacy; we will explore the potential powers Asia may soon have to shape and influence the rest of the world.
​
READ THE REPORT >
Technology
and Innovation
Advanced SOC's,
Quantum computing
The race to build the future
Chips
They power everything from military weapons to the iPhone in your pocket -- increasingly they are built in one concentrated area of the world.
South East Asian companies dominate microchip manufacturing, especially in advanced chips, where TSMC and Samsung of Korea produce 92, and 8% of the world’s supplies of 10 nanometre and below chips.This dependence is set to increase, or at least remain the same as TSMC invests $100 billion over the next three years and Samsung seeks to increase its competitiveness in advanced manufacturing, planning to introduce 2nm production by 2025.
1000 qubits?
IBM said they plan to create a 1000-qubit processor by the end of 2023, showing the race is well and truly on in the West to achieve quantum superiority
With the advent of AI and the continued growth of technology, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic which has effectively catalysed our such reliances, governments are funnelling increasing proportions of GDP into Research and Development (R&D) funding. With China taking a phenomenal lead, undoubtedly spending the most on technological development, it will become of utmost importance to consider how this will impact other societies as international power relations shift. China has already made it clear that their incomparably high R&D expenditure reflects their goal to dominate fields related to technology and innovation. As trade and wider political relations between the USA and China continue to gradually break down, China achieving supremacy in the various technology races could certainly change societies worldwide as we know them. Hence, by analysing the Semiconductor Manufacturing Race in Taiwan; the race for AI weaponry development; and the race for quantum supremacy; we will explore the potential powers Asia may soon have to shape and influence the rest of the world.
​
READ THE REPORT >
Technology
and Innovation
Chips
They power everything from military weapons to the computer on your desk -- increasingly they are built in one concentrated area of the world.
South East Asian companies dominate microchip manufacturing, especially in advanced chips, where TSMC and Samsung of Korea produce 92, and 8% of the world’s supplies of 10 nanometre and below chips.This dependence is set to increase, or at least remain the same as TSMC invests $100 billion over the next three years and Samsung seeks to increase its competitiveness in advanced manufacturing, planning to introduce 2nm production by 2025.
1000 qubits?
Qubit [NOUN] | Quantum bit, the basic unit of computing information
IBM said they plan to create a 1000-qubit processor by the end of 2023, showing the race is well and truly on in the West to achieve quantum superiority
The race to
develop
AI-powered weaponry
"
The race between the West and China is already in full swing and has the potential to deliver unimaginable technological power to the winner
With the advent of AI and the continued growth of technology, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic which has effectively catalysed our such reliances, governments are funnelling increasing proportions of GDP into Research and Development (R&D) funding. With China taking a phenomenal lead, undoubtedly spending the most on technological development, it will become of utmost importance to consider how this will impact other societies as international power relations shift. China has already made it clear that their incomparably high R&D expenditure reflects their goal to dominate fields related to technology and innovation. As trade and wider political relations between the USA and China continue to gradually break down, China achieving supremacy in the various technology races could certainly change societies worldwide as we know them. Hence, by analysing the Semiconductor Manufacturing Race in Taiwan; the race for AI weaponry development; and the race for quantum supremacy; we will explore the potential powers Asia may soon have to shape and influence the rest of the world.
​
Economy
and finance
Over the past decades, the modern world has changed immensely by the activities of globalisation and economic integration. With increased division of labour along with the internationally distributed supply chains, they have led to a global phenomenon of production and shipping, which has in turn increased global economic connectivity. It can be best exemplified by the robust supply chain of Apple Inc. - where the touch ID is created in Taiwan, accelerometer in Germany, assembled in Czech Republic and finally sold in the Indian markets. Similarly, numerous companies around the world have set up production hubs in different parts of the world to exploit the comparative advantages of the regions in order to create ingenious products.
However, the increasing political tensions such as trade wars, terrorist attacks and armed conflicts over the world pose a threat towards increased economic integration. The interconnections between politics, economy and financial markets have been studied over a long period of time - much of the recent literature represents a clear heterogeneity between them. Some international security events driven by political conflicts have adversely affected the financial markets – in some cases, even leading to them shutting down for multiple days – while some have not affected the markets.
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In this report, we aim to highlight the effects of international power dynamics on the economy and financial markets, followed by a meta-analysis of effects of drastic international events on the markets and a case study on Australia and China.
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iPhone:
The
global
supply
chain
in
action
See how just one
part is made
The sensor is created in Taiwan
The accelerometer in Germany
The unit is assembled in Czech Republic
before being shipped and sold to the market in India
Foreign affairs
Arctic
The
The Arctic currently faces multiple issues that are complicated in their reasons and solutions. To create meaningful solutions, policymakers have to isolate these complex causes and design targeted solutions.
Military escalations in the arctic have so far not been hugely alarming, but are steadily increasing. By way of both military investment by Arctic states and aggressive rhetoric by leaders. These escalations, more often than not, are prompted by events miles from the Arctic region and take place on the global geopolitical arena, but have clear implications in the polar region. Moreover, there exists no Arctic-specific treaty addressing territorial disputes or other Arctic-specific issues. Instead, nations rely on the ill-suited UNCLOS for guidance, which leaves ample scope for future escalations. Finally, the melting ice is opening up faster and more efficient trade routes. As shipping companies seek to exploit this opportunity, equally important is creating a framework that ensures safety in this period of increased maritime navigation.
​
Circle
3
The number of Russian nuclear submarines that smashed through the arctic ice sheet in a first of its kind manoeuvre in 2021
28
The number of nations taking part in the largest NATO exercise within the artic circle.
See how UNCLOS could change the race for the arctic
Education
Chinese State Interference in the British Higher Education System
The aim of this report is to lift the lid on the extent of Chinese interference in the UK higher education system and to suggest ways of resolving the problem. The UK is famed around the world for its leading universities, and for its role in research and education. A key principle underpinning higher education is academic freedom. The ability to express and share ideas freely in an open and safe environment is not only a human right but the key to achieving meaningful progress in academia. However, mounting evidence is revealing that this fundamental principle is being eroded by a state whose ambitions and motives run counter to the interests and values of British universities and Britain as a whole. We live in a world of increasing educational interdependence and cooperation, which manifests in a variety of ways, such as exchange programmes, international research agreements, and common access to intellectual material. However, reports of espionage and illicit interference in academia have become more prevalent, particularly in nations such as Australia, the US, and the UK.
Our report focuses on the growing trend of interference and malpractice by authoritarian regimes in the UK. This report is most levelled at the acts of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in particular, its growing involvement in the censorship and theft of academic content. But also its use of violence and exploitation of legal powers to limit the activities of students and academics who attempt to uncover and release the truth. We should be clear that in our report we do not seek to blame Chinese students or staff for this. We actively embrace the benefits of a truly international academic community, which includes everything China has to offer.
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Find out about a new agency dedicated to education protection
Healthcare
30million
The number of Americans without health insurance -- (9.2% of the population)
The complex commoditised American system involves
Premiums
Deductibles
Co - pays + unexpected bills
__________________
makes medical debt
the no.1 source of debt
+ bankruptcy in the US
The Physician-Patient dynamic is typically overlooked and not something many pay attention to even though it affects the treatment and the reactions that you receive when seeking aid. However, the different systems are generally there to better the responses for the patients, hence the need to have a deeper understanding and raise awareness for the better communication and understanding of the dynamic to then help improve the systems more generally. North America, as a continent, has a vast variety in its systems. For example, the US has a private system compared to Canada, where there is a free health care system, making it different from the way that the dynamics work. Through the briefing, we will begin by giving an overview of both of the systems and the way that they work, and the way that they impact the patients as a whole. We will then delve into the role of international institutions to have a look at the way that they affect the role in protecting patients, moving from a focus on North America and looking at the wider image of the world and its role in the way that patients do/ do not get aid. ​
​
Justice and
Human Rights
Human
Trafficking
in
sex
labour
and
organs
This report will highlight the worldwide issue of human trafficking, which especially plagues underdeveloped countries in Africa and Asia. We will look at three key areas: sex trafficking, forced labour and organ trafficking. We focus our report on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as human trafficking is a particularly problematic issue here; it allows us to analyse human trafficking in greater depth. This briefing section gives an overview of the key issues in the aforementioned three areas, summarising their key causes, consequences and significance. We shall then proceed to provide more detailed insights.
​
Sex trafficking victims are discouraged from filing reports through coercion
73% of the DRC population live in extreme poverty
The majority of victims in sex trafficking are women and girls
Victims of organ trafficking face a life of poor health afterwards, as they are vulnerable to disease
There are numerous armed groups in the DRC that used forced labour to gain profit, particularly in the mining industry
Those leaving Africa for Europe are highly vulnerable
Energy and
Environment
RESOURCE
INESCURITY
AND
PROXY
COMPETITION
This section begins by providing an overview of the current state of Middle Eastern geopolitics in relation to its key resource - oil. Through giving this account of how the region’s oil-rich status has come to shape its influence, a strong understanding can be gained of the ways in which both regional and global trends stand to interfere with this influence and the global standing of the Middle East.
The political and strategic import of oil has been fundamental in defining the region’s political significance and its relations with other regions and countries. The Middle East faces high levels of resource insecurity which are only expected to worsen in scope and severity as demand is projected to increase. A global shift in focus away from fossil fuels towards renewable sources of energy stands to re-define, and potentially threaten, the long-standing geopolitical significance of the Middle East
​