GEOGRAPHY MATTERS

Post 16 and HE Phase Committee

Spring 2012

This edition of our newsletter, Geography Matters, provides ideas, thoughts, updates and
classroom resources which will be useful for teachers and students of A-level. Sixth form
geographers share their views about A level Geography and Jenny Hill draws together the
experiences of undergraduates. Anthony Allchin offers some advice for applying to Oxbridge.
Rachel Adams gives GIS in coastal fieldwork a make-over, and Helen Hore guides us through a
new stats exercise with a purpose. Emma Rawlings discusses pirates, energy and geopolitics, and
Gill Miller updates on globalisation of health.
Contents

Page

Chairs Notes: Iain Palot

Student Voices: promoting A level Geography, from Central Sussex College

Studying Geography at University: is it for me? Jenny Hill, University of the West of England

En route for Oxbridge

Anthony Allchin, Worthing Sixth Form College

Using GIS to investigate coastal management for real or virtual fieldwork: Rachel Adams,

12

Wimbledon High School

Statistical Enquiry into Water and Wealth: Helen Hore, Central Sussex College

14

Piracy, supply shocks and energy security: Emma Rawlings Smith, British School, Abu Dhabi

19

Globalisation of health: : is the world feeling better? Gill Miller, University of Chester

23

Who are the Post 16-HE Phase Committee?

27

Conference Events

Geography Matters is the newsletter of the Geographical Association (GA) Post-16 and Higher
Education Phase Committee and the University & College Union (UCU) Geography Section. The
views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the GA, the
Committee or UCU.
The Post-16 and HE Committee promotes and safeguards the study and teaching of postcompulsory sector Geography. If you work in a school sixth-form, college or university and would
2009: The GA Conference in Manchester
20
like to join the Committee, please contact us. NQTs and student teachers are especially welcome.
To find out more about the work and activities of the Committee, see the Post-16 and HE area of
the GAs website, www.geography.org.uk.
Geography Matters is now accessible online and in colour at www.geography.org.uk/post16, This
edition of Geography Matters has been edited by Gill Miller, g.miller@chester,ac,uk .
The GA is based at 160, Solley Street, Sheffield, S1 4BY

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Chairs notes: Plus a change, plus cest la mme chose

Iain Palt
My first Chairs Notes date from the Autumn 2000, edition when I observed that my predecessor, Tim
Foster had put in his first Chairs Notes in 1998:
I now find myself elected to the chair at a time when geography as a discipline is under increasing
pressure.
Plus a change, plus cest la mme chose
So where are we now, as I begin a second spell as chair?
Firstly I would like to welcome the two new members to the committee, Katie Denton, a PGCE student from
Southampton University and Will Stainsby, a newly qualified teacher at the Charter School in Dulwich. Their
fresh eyes will I am sure bring a new perspective to our meetings and we all look forward to their
contribution.
Geography at Post 16 and by implication, Geography in HEIs, relies on the health of the subject at KS3,
which in turn etc., etc. and so it was important that colleagues, in all phases, contributed to the GA
consultation on the curriculum. The Post 16 HE committee have discussed the issues in some detail during
the last year.
As always examinations are under the spotlight and the media appears to comment from an often illinformed position. A columnist in The Sunday Times wrote about the corruption of the exam system with
examiners coaching teachers to pass their exams for fat fees. The conclusion reached was that the entire
system of public exams should be scrapped and a new system put in its place consisting of fewer, better,
and more varied examinations, no coursework, specialised awarding bodies, and better marking. This
would be achieved by the exam boards working more closely with universities who should take more
responsibility for marking and writing specifications. One suspects that all this is some way off as colleagues
in HEIs are required to focus more their research, which drives much of their funding, than getting involved in
writing A-level specifications and marking scripts.
Of more immediate concern is the quality of statistical and mathematical understanding in the Social
Sciences at A level. A recent report produced by the Royal Statistical Society highlighted the need to
improve this skill and Richard Harris from Bristol University will be hosting an initial meeting on Friday
lunchtime to sound out colleagues as part of a wider investigation into the teaching of statistics in schools
and at undergraduate level. You will, be most welcome.
My thanks go to colleagues for another excellent edition of the P16 newsletter with its now familiar range of
academic and classroom based topics. There are insights from A level students and reassurances from new
Geography undergraduates. Teachers can tap into ideas using GIS in fieldwork and a stats exercise with
real purpose. And there are informative updates on the global health and geopolitics. Thank you to all my
colleagues on the committee for their help, support and encouragement.
I hope you have a useful and exciting conference. Please do not hesitate to talk to us about your P16-HE
aspirations and concerns either here or via cyber-space during the year. Your input to the various on-going
discussions is essential if we are to continue to accurately represent and support Post 16 HE geographers.

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Student Voices - Promoting A Level Geography.

Helen Hore, Subject Leader for Geography and Geology, Central Sussex College
Are your GCSE students thinking about progressing to A Level Geography? It is often difficult for
GCSE pupils to select the right A level source for themselves, as they do not know what will inspire
them or how difficult a subject will be. Here are a collection of thoughts from current A Level
students currently studying in their A2 year of A level Geography.
Laura has her own website
and has applied to study
Wildlife Photography at
Falmouth.

Instead of just reading a headline in a newspaper or online, we

are encouraged to look in depth at the whole situation, its
cause, its effect and how it can be resolved. The subject is very
eye-opening as well as informative. In our current topic, we
are looking at strategies affecting food security and assessing
how sustainable they are. There is something for everyone in
these lessons, as the topics allow people to put forward their
own points of view which lead to further controversial
discussion. This subject works well with most subjects, especially
sciences. There is no longer coursework in Geography A Level
but this hasnt been a problem as I have had coursework in
other subjects.

Geography is a subject which is diverse and

interesting covering all sorts of topics, so there is
bound to be areas of interest for everyone. It has
enabled me to develop skills in research and
fieldwork as well as in writing essays, skills which
have been transferable to other subjects. I have
enjoyed biodiversity and food supply issues the
most, but I have been surprised at how many topics
which I wouldnt have thought would interest

me have really inspired me! This subject is very

relevant on a local and global scale.

Darius has applied to study

conservation
at
university,
having spent several years in
Australia.

Joe plans to join his parents in

Australia
and
to
study
Geography or Geology there.

It is a very interesting subject. You look at global issues in depth under both
human and physical aspects. It is advised that you enjoy both the physical and
human sides of Geography as you study both, fairly equally. I have developed
my knowledge of hazards, climate change, migration, weather, hydrology and
the economic challenges faced by globalisation. For me, Geography goes well

with Geology, Biology and Sociology

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Studying Geography at University: Is it for me?

Jenny Hill, University of the West of England

Jennifer.Hill@uwe.ac.uk

It was a cold autumn day and I had just moved all of my gear into a very small room at the top of an old
house in Bevington Road, Oxford. My parents had said goodbye and I suddenly felt very alone and very
nervous. What had I done? This was the first day of the rest of my life had I made the right decision in
coming to university to study geography?
Lets be honest, if you are considering continuing with your geographical studies at university it can seem not
only exciting, but also a little daunting. You may well have to leave the familiar surroundings of your
school/college, the friends that you have made over a number of years, your parents, brothers, sisters, and
even your much loved pets. It is perfectly normal to feel a little worried, as well as excited, about striking out
on your own and becoming a self-styled geographer!
To demonstrate that your concerns and expectations are perfectly normal, the GA's Post-16 & HE Phase
Committee interviewed geography students at the University of Chester, the University of Gloucestershire
and the University of the West of England, Bristol to discover what they had been looking forward to and
what they had worried about in terms of leaving school and beginning their studies at university. The
students also explained how they felt a year or two into their university adventure, especially how studying
geography at university is different from studying geography at school/college.
What were you most looking forward to?
The students were asked first of all what they had most looked forward to with respect to their university
studies before they arrived on campus. It was clear that there was both a social side and an academic side
to their expectations. Many of the students mentioned the prospect of moving to a new city, seeing new
places, and making new friends:
Looking forward to meeting a
lot more new people from
different areas of the country
... and just getting involved
with all the social side of
things

Gloucestershire student
Youve got to organise
yourself, make sure youve
got everything you need for
the next day

There was clear acknowledgement of the increased independence they would have:

UWE student

It is true that almost every decision will be yours to make, so you need to ensure that you are motivated from
the outset and able to manage your time efficiently to make the most of your independence. This sense of
freedom was also anticipated with respect to teaching and learning:
I really liked the idea of being
more in charge of my own
learning ... being able to
choose parts of geography
that I actually wanted to
study

UWE student

Gloucestershire student

I was looking forward to

pursuing geography further ...
theres so much out there that
you can do with geography

What were you most worried about?

In terms of what the students were most worried about, very similar issues emerged once again. They were
concerned about leaving home and making new friends, fitting in, and even how stupid I was compared to
everyone else (Gloucestershire student). But, all the students went on to say that in reality they made
friends easily because everyone was in the same position and there were lots of opportunities to meet

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

people through Freshers week, joining a wide range of university societies (such as the Geography Society),
and even through the academic ice-breaker tutorials and field trips. Additionally, there are student
ambassadors to show students round campuses during the first weeks of term, and course and halls
representatives are on-hand to help new students settle in. At many universities there is the opportunity to
join a Facebook group so you can chat to your house or course mates before you arrive on campus. All the
students concluded that it didnt take them long to settle in, with one saying it took her about an hour (UWE
student) and others, perhaps more realistically, saying it took them 1-2 weeks. There was a consensus that it
was easy to make friends whether you lived on campus, off campus, or stayed at home with parents.
The students also expressed concerns before arriving at university as to whether they would cope with
higher level study: Gloucestershire student

The step up from A-level to degree level ... I was

worried how big the step would actually be.

Chester
The change in style of education
... itsstudent
more on
myself to do my own learning

Again, the students went on to say that they made the transition without too much difficulty in the end:
The lecturers have more time for you
one-on-one to help you ... you just email
them and go and see them and theyll
help you

I was worried about the

workload and if it would be too
hard for me to do ... but I found
the first year a bit more relaxed
than doing A-levels. I didnt
have any worries in the end

UWE student

Gloucestershire student

The students commented that the amount and complexity of work builds up slowly over the years of
undergraduate study and you are taught skills to enable you to cope with the increased demands. These
responses match other opinions which suggest that students actually experience a greater challenge moving
from GCSE to A-level study rather than from A-level to university study.
How is university study different from A-level study?
When the students were asked how they thought university study would be different, or has actually proved
to be different, from A-level study, different styles of teaching and learning were commented upon. In
particular, the greater freedom they would have to guide their own study was mentioned:

Theres more
freedom in the
way you learn as
opposed to
being en forced

The main point of uni

is independent
learning ... going off
researching different
topics ... you can delve
into whatever you
want to do really

Chester student

Gloucestershire student
UWE student

You can put

your own
perspective on
what you want to
learn about

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

This freedom was seen positively in terms of the learning experience. Geography at university is your
geography not your tutors geography:
At last youre actually
doing solely what you
want to do

Personally, I am really
enjoying geography at
university ... the depth
you go into in different
modules is brilliant

Chester students

You can pick what you want

to do and gear it more
towards your interests

UWE student

Additionally, students recognised both the great diversity of topics that were available to them at university
and the depth of study they now engaged in. They noted that they enjoyed the opportunity to study so many
different topics (Gloucestershire student) and this included allied subjects such as biology, sociology and
criminology. The students also commented upon:
The depth in which we have to go into on our
own ... back everything up and find evidence
Gloucestershire student

What is most enjoyable about studying geography at university?

Two of the most enjoyable aspects of studying geography at university were taking part in fieldwork, both
locally and abroad, and participating in laboratory work
Chester student
Lot more practical work with the fieldwork and
using labs, which is quite good fun
There is much more opportunity to learn in environments beyond the classroom. The students talked at
length about their field experiences in a range of exotic locations ranging from Switzerland to North America
and further afield.
UWE students in the Sahara Desert during a field trip
to Tunisia

You can even be assessed in diverse ways in these

different environments. Students at Gloucestershire
talked about being assessed using podcasts, posters,
presentations, and in association with local communities
and industry. They noted that there was a great variety
of assessment types beyond written exams and essays
and this is the case now at many universities. This
system allows you to play to your strengths, just as you
would do in a work situation.
Another feature of university that students appreciated was the opportunity to undertake placements
between their second and third years of study. These are either paid or unpaid periods of work with
employers that usually feed into a personal development portfolio. Comments included:
Youve got relevant skills to go on your
CV ... it sets you apart from the rest

Nice to be able to get into the workplace

before you actually go and look for a job
UWE students

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Geography was viewed as future-oriented and relevant by the students:

Its a very diverse subject and

UWE
student
touches
on so many different
careers

Chester student

UWE student

You become really well rounded ... get all

the skills you need to do lots of different
jobs

Students talked about studying new and relevant aspects of geography such as environmental
reconstruction, renewable energy, carbon footprints, natural hazard management, globalisation and
international development. Add to this an understanding of land degradation, water resource conflicts,
territoriality and identity, and poverty and global resource use, combined with a capacity to use current
technologies such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and you are equipped to deal with many of
the most important challenges facing contemporary societies. This has been stated by the two major
institutions supporting academic geography in the USA and the UK:
Many of the major questions facing society
at the local, national, and international
scales have very important geographic
dimensions

The potential for practicing geography in

private enterprise and government has
grown considerably in recent years
(Royal Geographical Society - with

(Association of American Geographers)

Institute of British Geographers)

The students also understood the importance of the discipline in helping them gain a good career. Studying
geography at university develops a diverse range of knowledge, understanding and skills that can be applied
in a variety of work places. It develops the skills/qualities cited most often by employers in terms of graduate
capabilities: working effectively in a team, communicating clearly and working with accuracy. The students
commented that studying geography at university made them dynamic and adaptive graduates, employable
in a number of different professions.
To conclude, remember that university is not just about enjoying your geographical studies. It is about
making life-long friends (and memories) and deciding the kind of person you want to be in life. To conclude
my story, it wasnt long before I met up with my housemates, joined a host of university societies and didnt
want to leave Oxford! I enjoyed studying geography so much I went on to undertake a doctorate at Swansea
University and I have remained at university ever since so I can continue to teach and research. With respect
to to the more recent experiences of the geography students outlined here, you can visit the GA Post-16 &
HE Phase Committee website at http://www.geography.org.uk/11-19/universitygeography/ to access three
podcast interviews. They might well demonstrate that the excitement and concerns you experience as you
consider progressing with your geographical studies from school to university are shared by many of those
around you. Why not do as they did and give it a go?
For further reading about how to connect school and university geographies see:
Hill J. and Jones M. (2010) Joined-up geography: connecting school-level and university-level geographies.
Geography, 95, 22-32.

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

En route for Oxbridge an introduction to aspects of the Oxbridge

application process
Antony Allchin, Worthing Sixth Form College
Whilst Oxford and Cambridge Universities continue to be the pinnacle of aspiration for many students and
their parents, the competition for places remains fiercely competitive. In my sixth-form college, I have had
responsibility for a number of years for all our Oxbridge and Russell Group university applicants (in all
subjects), and we have seen a very pleasing rise in success rates, particularly in the most competitive
subject areas including medicine. Oxbridge colleges are now under considerable pressure to widen access,
and this brief article aims therefore to offer some tips and guidance for teachers who may be less familiar
with the additional hurdles that their students must overcome to get a coveted place. Invariably Oxbridge
attracts some of the brightest students whose other choices are likely to be from the Russell Group. I have
therefore also included comment relating to these where relevant.
The key players are of course the students themselves, so two detailed case studies from a pair of
exceptional geography students provide a view of how it all feels from an applicants perspective. Amy
Rowson and Giles Holbrook are a pleasure to teach, and I would like to place on record my gratitude for their
contributions here and a special thank-you to Amy who surprisingly failed to get a place at Oxford, but was
so willing to share her experiences to help others (Nottingham University dont know how lucky they are yet).
I asked them to focus on how things felt, writing almost in a stream of consciousness style.Interestingly, but
not surprisingly, both of these very able students highlight how stressful the process can be. It is therefore
essential for us as teachers to ensure that all potential Oxbridge candidates are made aware in advance of
just how pressured they may feel.
OVERVIEW OF THE SELECTION PROCESS
Oxford and Cambridge base their admissions decisions on a much wider range of information than all other
universities (some of which in rely only on qualifications achieved plus predicted grades). Oxbridge colleges
take into account all of the following: GCSE results, AS results (including UMS scores for Cambridge),
predicted grades, samples of written work, additional tests (particularly Oxford), the UCAS personal
statement, the UCAS reference, and of course interviews (up to 3, and at Oxford, over 2-4 days, requiring
overnight stays) There are many ways in which we as Geography teachers can help to give our students the
best possible chance of success.
THE UCAS FORM
The first thing to note is that all UCAS forms have to be completed and submitted by 15 October. At my
college I get the process well underway in the preceding summer term, with a programme of
talks/workshops/one-to-one guidance, to ensure that personal statement drafts are prepared, and plans
drawn up for appropriate work experience/reading/practical activities for the summer holiday period. The aim
of this is to ensure that students are ready early in the autumn term with a fully-rounded CV that
demonstrates commitment to and suitability for their subject area.
THE REFERENCE
The extent to which the reference is significant varies considerably between different universities. For Oxford
and Cambridge it is very important. Schools and colleges have different policies in determining how a
reference is produced and who is responsible for writing it. With declining budgets often constraining
traditional tutorial and guidance time, it can be increasingly rare for the reference to be written by someone
who really knows the student well. It is therefore crucial for Geography teachers to ensure they have a major
input into the process for anyone applying for Geography degrees. Above all, the admissions tutors are
essentially looking for convincing testimony that the student has true potential for the subject itself.
In feedback, Colleges constantly refer to the importance of the referee demonstrating personal knowledge of
the student rather than generic comments. In the past, of course, coursework offered a great opportunity to
write personal comments about a students independent learning skills and interest in a particular topic.
There are still opportunities using fieldwork evidence, particularly if we have given students the chance to

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

take personal responsibility for the planning, operation, analysis and presentation stages (just like the old
coursework!). Getting to know what your students are doing outside the classroom is also really helpful
are they doing background reading? what topics are they particularly interested in? and importantly, what is
the evidence for this? Remember to keep an on-going record of useful snippets for future use. Oxford and
Cambridge are also keen on comparative comments along the lines of this is the most able geography
student we have taught.
PREDICTED GRADES
A* predictions are important. Cambridge will normally specify one A* in their offer (although not usually in
any particular subject). Oxford normally ask for AAA, but admissions tutors expect to see an A* prediction in
the subject the student is applying for. It is of course very difficult to predict A* with confidence in
September of Y13 because so little A2 work has been done. Whilst a very high AS mark is generally a good
indication, the skills required to score 90% at A2 are very different, and if we are going to be fair to the
student in our predictions (and maintain our credibility with admissions tutors!), we need to be providing
opportunities very early in Y13 to allow students to show their potential.
EXAMPLES OF WORK
Oxbridge in particular commonly ask students to submit one or two examples of marked work, which has
been done as part of the normal curriculum and has not been amended for this purpose. Their request
normally comes soon after the 15 October deadline, which can present a slight problem since ideally you
want students to be demonstrating more complex and demanding A2 work skills, whilst it is still quite early in
the autumn term. Starting the A2 programme in the 3 or 4 weeks after the AS exams in the summer term
definitely offers opportunities under slightly more relaxed conditions for progress in this direction, as well as
getting students to think about their personal statements and build up their evidence of wider reading. Both
Amy and Giles for example used assignments on water and energy which they had completed over the
summer for this purpose.
TESTS and INTERVIEWS
In many subjects, but excluding Geography, Oxford tests applicants pre-interview, requiring the
schools/colleges to oversee these. Amy (see below) had to take her test as part of the interview in Oxford,
which was a written piece on a previously unseen article. Cambridge does not use pre-interview tests, and
nor was Giles given a test at interview. Instead, he was sent two articles in advance which were the subject
of interview questions. Teachers can therefore help in preparing them for this sort of challenge by exposing
them to appropriately challenging academic articles throughout the course (using for example the GA journal
Geography).
All the advice says dont over-prepare for the interview but, without exception, our students have found a
practice interview to be extremely helpful. The Oxford and Cambridge websites give lots of useful advice to
students, including recorded interviews.If youre too pushed for time to draw up appropriate practice
questions, there are a number of student websites giving lists of questions that have been used. We
provide all our Oxbridge applicants with at least one practice interview with two interviewers. For both Amy
and Giles, I used one of the articles sent to Giles by Cambridge as the basis for some of the questions. I
also use students personal statements to develop many of the other questions. Students need to be taken
beyond their comfort zone, and challenged with unfamiliar ideas, and this can be quite daunting in their
Oxbridge interviews. Amys experiences record how this was done at Oxford.
PERSONAL STATEMENTS
A key weakness in many personal statements is insufficient focus on the chosen degree subject. Whatever
the university, it is critical that the majority (perhaps two-thirds) of the statement is about the students
interest in the subject and why they want to study it at university. It should look backwards at what they have
done, and look forwards to what they hope to do. Evidence of reading outside the subject is crucial, and it is
much better to reflect in some detail (within the confines of the word limit) on one or two sources, rather than
giving a bare list of many sources. This also provides possible topics for the interviewer pursue, so lying is
out! It is also essential that the student has really engaged with the material.

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE
APPLICATION TO KEBLE COLLEGE OXFORD TO STUDY GEOGRAPHY BY AMY ROWSON
Studying Geography at Oxford University had always been a life-long dream and with the outcome
of my GCSE and AS results I realised the dream was a possibility. A few weeks after applying, the
letter confirming my interview heightened the nerves and want for my place at Oxford, the game
was on and now I was a serious contender.
It was a Sunday when I arrived, and I found that only an hour after settling in I was due an exam
as listed on the noticeboard in the JCR. That moment of walking into the JCR made me realise just
how tough the competition was, there were about sixty interviewees present (about fifty of which
were quite obviously public school educated) and everyone knew that there were only 8-10 places
available. The exam was a challenge, a 15 page biased article arguing against the construction of
a dam in Tibet which in itself took me half an hour to read, and had to be summarised in one page
excluding bias. After the long journey Id had it was hard to concentrate.
The first interview and I was incredibly nervous as I collected my sealed envelope and sped off to
read and interpret them. I was fortunate enough to have two articles, one on the intricacies of
climate change (no thank you!) and the other on the economies of cities within China (yes please!).
My first interview was a challenge, initially I was asked to summarise the article I had selected and
then began an in- depth questioning process of my understanding of the article. Following this, I
was handed two photographs, both depicting houses on stilts on flood plains. I was simply asked to
describe what the photographs showed, and although that is the most simplistic question I couldve
been asked it completely stumped me and I tried to second guess the meaning of the question.
I was extremely pleased with the outcome of my second interview, in which I was tested on my
personal statement in which Id written about water conflicts on the River Nile. I was also given
graphs concerning the climate and rainfall in certain areas around the world relating to El Nino and
La Nina weather systems and asked my opinion on agricultural techniques in these areas based
on the climatic information given. Then I was given a graph explaining denudation rates and I had
to speculate for an explanation to the trends. Finally I was asked some quite general questions
concerning my Personal Statement. At the end of this interview a wave of relief washed over me, I
was hoped that that had concluded my time at Oxford and that I was free to go home after two
emotionally and mentally straining days, however this wasnt what occurred
After that last interview we were required to stay around, waiting for a list to determine who was
due further interviewing. My name was on that list. Initially, I was devastated, the interview process
had been so straining, but I realise now it can only have been a good thing. The final interview I felt
went very well, it was similar to the second Id had, based on graphical information but also
questions concerning what studies as a human geographer I would want to carry out.
A few weeks later however I received my letter of rejection, a brief but concise letter that admittedly
did shatter a lifes dream; but I would never say that I regret the process. I did learn a lot about
myself and I now realise that there are plenty of other extremely good universities across the
country on offer where I can pursue my geography studies.

10

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

APPLICATION TO FITZWILLIAM COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY GILES HOLBROOK
If I were to identify a major element of my application to Cambridge, it would be the extremely
surreal nature of the whole process; although it is probable that I have reached this conclusion with
the benefit of hindsight. It is the myriad of obstacles an applicant is presented with throughout the
assault course application which makes it a relentless and stressful process through which an
applicant can feel completely lost and unsure of, even with a great deal of support.
For me Cambridge was always a risk and a long shot. But I was convinced I would regret not
applying and giving myself that opportunity. The first stressful stage of my application process
came long before I had actually applied. What college would I choose? My brother supposedly
selected his college at random, but with so much at stake I feltI couldnt afford to make a mistake
Regardless of what Cambridge tells you about you standing an equal chance everywhere my
selection, or rather elimination, of colleges was based purely on the number of geographers and
where I considered their demands for applicants to best favour me. I was pleased with Fitzwilliam,
2 subject based interviews, 2 submitted pieces of work, no exam/test in the application process,
and a large geography department, including the head of the Cambridge Geography faculty. The
decision over which college to choose was an unpleasant and unexpected stress. It is because
Cambridge refuses to admit that an applicant may stand a better chance at one college or another
that I found this particularly stressful, as I was innately sceptical that Kings, with its 2 geographers,
for instance, would be likely to offer a place to anyone without top A-level grades.
Preparing my personal statement and work on my two pieces of submitted work was also stressful,
but expectedly so. I was aware of the amount of work I would have to put in across these two
areas to get an offer, but when presented with Cambridges Supplementary Application
Questionnaire(SAQ) I was simply taken aback with what to write for my additional personal
statement. I found myself debating whether it was best to appear hugely passionate about
Geography in every respect by writing a great deal in every category of the SAQ, which I
eventually settled for, or alternatively attempting to say something refreshing without attempting to
re-iterate points potentially made in my UCAS personal statement. I even remember debating
about which photo to choose for submission.
In many respects I found the interviews themselves the simplest stage of the application. Although
I spent hours reading and analysing the two reports Fitzwilliam had sent me and preparing for my
interview, once I was actually there, although stressful, it was a relief actually to be doing
interviews and to be finishing the last stage of the application process. The sheer amount of work,
effort and the relentless nature of the Cambridge application process re-assured me that I was
correct in my decision to apply, only confirmed, however, when I got my offer letter, in that I would
regret it if I hadnt. My own personal experience of the interview process, in hindsight, is as a form
of test, at each stage Cambridge makes you strive to want to go there, in the respect that you have
to overcome numerous obstacles to get an offer, let alone meet it. I am lucky enough to believe
that I still have the opportunity to go to Cambridge, but I am fully aware that I now need to make
sure I get the right A-level grades.

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Using GIS to Investigate Coastal Management for real or

virtual fieldwork
Rachel Adams, Wimbledon High School, GDST
There is an expectation these days that Geography students will be making effective use of Geographical
Information Systems to help them in their field work investigations. However yet all too often this is reduced
to a cursory screen shot of Google Earth with annotated labels. I was keen that my students should have the
opportunity to do more than this and have taken advantage of software which is freely available as well as
that which can be purchased. This account explains how some of these products can be used to help
students with their field investigations, making the outcome quicker and more interesting to achieve, and
hopefully leading to better geography. My students were investigating the relationship between land use and
sea defences in North Norfolk.
The place to start is with Google Earth, Google Maps or Bing Maps, each of which have slightly different
merits, but can be used to show aerial views. Bing Maps has the advantage of having an oblique air photo
option which may be easier for students to interpret. Any of these air photos can be annotated to show
information about sites, including text, photos or graphs as desired (see Figure 1).
Figure 1. Extract
from student field
work using
symbols to show
defences at
different sites
superimposed on
an air photo from
Google Maps
Last year the Ordnance Survey released OS Digimaps, which gave free access to OS maps all over the
country at any scale, with some tools for analysis. (This replaced their Free Maps for 11 year olds scheme
which is now available on subscription.) By zooming in very detailed maps are available and I was able to
produce base maps for the students which they could annotate with field information as they walked along
the coast. Later they used the measurement tool to calculate distances such as the width of the beach or
distance to the nearest property from the cliff edge (see Figure 2).
Figure 2. Measuring the distance of the nearest building from the cliff edge using OS Digimaps

The advantage of using software like Aegis or Digital Worlds is that information collected in the field can be
linked to placemarks on the map. Maps showing land use or located bar charts can be produced at the push
of a button. It seemed to me that this was nearer to what examiners were looking for and in any case should
make the presentation of field work data much quicker and easier, enabling students to focus on the
important bit ie the analysis of their observations.

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Aegis is a GIS programme that has been available from the Advisory Unit for some years and its aim is to
make GIS easy for students. We have invested in this as a one off purchase. The field also used Aegis, so it
made sense to use this as a starting point. Wanting to bring some statistics into our evaluation of coastal
defences, I decided to set up a transect from just east of West Runton, where the land is of low value and
there are no defences, along the coast to the centre of Sheringham, where the land is of high value and
there are many defences. If data was collected from ten evenly spaced sites, the value of both land use and
defences could be ranked and Spearman Rank used as an analytical tool to see if there was a relationship.
The Centre set up an Aegis document, with the ten sites marked on the map, and these were linked to a
spreadsheet into which the students entered the data collected from the transect. Use of chart wizard in
Aegis quickly enabled students to produce a map of the area with bar charts showing the value of the
defences and land values (see Figure 3).
Figure 3. Extract from student
field work showing estimated
land values

This year we plan to put a

financial value on different types of defences so students can calculate the total cost and make the exercise
even more realistic. Showing land use over the whole area (rather than just a snapshot at each site) is more
complicated and requires making shapefiles, something I am considering doing for the coming year.
Digital Worlds is a much more sophisticated package, a slimmed down version of ArcView, an industry
standard GIS system available from ESRI. It was produced by Richard Pole and Jason Sawle who saw the
potential for its use in schools and is available by subscription. The great advantage of DW is that it has all
the data for OS maps at different scales for the whole country as well as air photos, census data and historic
maps. Using the programme is somewhat daunting, but Richard and Jason are really helpful and keen to
provide support.
There are many ways in which DW can be used for the purpose of field mapping and analysis, but last year
we made use of the historical maps layer. This is the 1851 map of the country which can be overlaid onto
either a modern map or an air photo. By making one of these semi-transparent it is possible to compare the
modern cliff edge with its position in 1851. The measuring tool can be used to calculate exactly how many
metres of cliff have been lost over the past 160 years and an average calculated. DW has a buffer tool which
can then be set either side of a line drawn on the map. If the modern cliff edge is drawn on, the buffer can be
set to see how much land might be lost if erosion rates stay the same or if they accelerate due to global
warming. Estimates can be made of how many properties might be lost over the next 25 or 50 years, and
these compared to the losses estimated on the Shoreline Management Plans available for the area.
Figure 4. Using the buffer tool in Digital Worlds to estimate rates of coastal erosion
Needless to say, using modern technology to
st
bring field investigations into the 21 century
is both exciting and frustrating. Becoming
familiar with different programmes and
adapting them for your needs is time
consuming, not to mention on-going issues
with actually getting computer access in
lessons. However, there is no doubt that the
outcome in terms of improved quality of field
work is worth the effort involved and it definitely adds a buzz from the students point of view.

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Sources: Google Maps; OS Digimaps available from Edina; Aegis 3 GIS available from The Advisory Unit:
Computers in Education; Digital Worlds GIS available from ESRI UK.

Statistical Inquiry into Water and Wealth

Helen Hore, Subject Leader for Geography and Geology, Central Sussex College
In the context of the recent report in January 2012 from the Royal Statistical Society, entitled The Future of
Statistics in our Schools and Colleges, subjects such as Geography, Biology and Psychology are accredited
for teaching statistics in a contextual way. This exercise, outlined at a workshop at the GA Conference at
Guildford in 2011, may serve to help embed spreadsheet use and statistical analysis in A Level Geography.
It uses the World Resource Institute databases, which are a rich source of statistics which can be used in
many ways in the subject.
Time, equipment and preparation
Two hours of teaching time.
Computer and internet access.
A basic knowledge of spreadsheets is useful.
A basic knowledge of positive and negative correlations is needed
Latest version of Excel, which is more intuitive than previous versions.
Objectives
1. To access on-line databases.
2. To use Excel to produce scatter graphs and calculate Spearmans Rank Correlation Coefficient.
3. To ascertain whether a relationship exists between wealth and water use and to discuss the
causal relationships involved.
Acquiring data
The World Resources Institute (WRI) Earth Trends has numerous databases for countries. The following
databases are used in this task and the first three are found on the Water Resources and Freshwater
Ecosystem searchable database:
th
1.
Groundwater Withdrawals: Percent used for agricultural purposes (9 on list)
th
2.
Water Poverty Index (6 one down on the list)
st
3.
Water Withdrawals: Annual per capita (31 on list)
4.
GDP per capital (based on PPP). This database can be accessed from the menu Economics,
th
Business and the Environment, which is 26 on the list.
Fig.1 Print screen of the Water Resources and Freshwater Ecosystem searchable database
http://earthtrends.wri.org/searchable_db/index.php?theme=2
Students can work in pairs to access
the databases, and depending on class
size, each student or pair should collect
data for one country. Ideally, you want
a dataset of about 15 -16 countries,
otherwise it becomes unwieldy to
manage in the time. Agree the
countries beforehand, or allow students
to choose from a predetermined list, in
order to gain a balance of development
levels and avoid small nations.
Students collect the above values for
their chosen country and then add

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

them to a class spreadsheet. Start with groundwater withdrawals, selecting countries from this list first, as
not all countries are on this database.
Creating scatter graphs
Students will then enter their values onto a class spreadsheet entitled Water and Wealth, to create four
datasets in four columns, for the chosen nations. Students will then need to have an individual copy of the
spreadsheet to work on, in order to create the scatter graphs and calculate Spearmans Ranks values. Use
the chart icon to create three scatter graphs to show the relationship between GDP and water poverty index,
GDP and water use, GDP and the amount of water used in agriculture.
Highlight the 2 datasets in columns using the control key, click on the insert tab and select scatter graph to
create the basic graph. The legend can be deleted. GDP should be on the horizontal axis. Click on the
move chart icon (top right) and move the chart to a new sheet. From the layout tab (at the top), insert a
chart title and edit the text box, then the axis titles and edit them. Click on the trendline icon to add a linear
trendline. To add names of countries, right click on a data point, then right click again to format data labels
which adds text boxes which you can edit.
With a balanced selection of countries, the scatter graphs should show:
1. A positive correlation for water poverty index against GDP (PPP per capita) Fig. 3.
2. A negative correlation for groundwater withdrawals: percent used for agricultural purposes against
GDP (PPP per capita). Fig.4.
3. No correlation for water withdrawals: annual per capita, against GDP (per capita PPP).
Fig.3 Scatter graph of Water Poverty Index against GDP per capita
Wealth and WPI

Water Poverty Index

80
70
60

UK

New Zealand

Dom Rep Brazil

Egypt
Bangladesh
Jamaica

France
USA
Australia

Kenya Jordan South Africa

Ghana
Ethiopia
Niger

50
40
30
20
0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

GDP per capita

Fig.4 Scatter graph of water withdrawals for agriculture against GDP per capita.

15

Spearmans
Rank
Correlation
Coefficient
for WPI and
GDP per
capita was
calculated as
+0.84

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Wealth and w ater w ithdraw als for argiculture

water withdrawals agric %

120
Ethiopia
Cambodia
Madagascar
Niger
Tanzania
Egy
Jamaica
Ghana Jordan
Dom Rep
Kenya
Bra
South Africa

100
80
60

Australia

40

USA

New Zealand

20
UK France

0
0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

Spearmans
Rank
Correlation
Coefficient for
water
withdrawals for
agriculture and
GDP per
capita was
calculated as
- 0.72

GDP per capita

Correlation Task
1. Discuss what each graph shows and what it means in terms of any relationship between the two variables
on each scatter graph.
2. In order to determine whether a statistical relationship exists and its significance, a Spearmans Rank
Correlation Coefficient has to be calculated. Create a further column beside each dataset and rank your
values, with 1 as the highest value. Excel enables columns to be sorted. Use the data menu on the toolbar
and select sort for options. Highlight all columns, selecting each column in turn for a descending sort and
th
insert a column for the ranking alongside. If there are tied ranks (eg. 2 values at 4 place), give them 4.5
th
th
each as they are sharing both 4 and 5 position. The Spearmans Rank Correlation Coefficient for each
pair of datasets can then be calculated. Click outside the table in a blank cell and type the following formula
into the cell, using the ranked columns. For example:
=CORREL(A1:A10,B1:B10)

The punctuation marks are crucial.

Now press enter and the Spearmans Rank Correlation Coefficient is calculated for you. Establish how
strong your correlation coefficient is by using the graph below or a significance table, found in geographical
or statistical textbooks.

Fig. 5 Significance graph for Spearmans Rank Correlation Coefficient

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Correlation
Coefficient of +0.84
with 18 degrees of
freedom, significant
at 99.9% level

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Suggested follow-up work
1. For your chosen country, find 2 or 3 further facts on their water resources. Select water resources from the
left menu and find further data on their country profile eg total river flow p.a.
2. Summarise what we have investigated by answering the following questions:
a) Describe the relationship shown in each graph using terms such as positive and negative correlation.
b) Outline and comment on the statistical methods used and assess the strength of the correlation
coefficient.
c) Explain why these relationships exist and what factors might be responsible. Refer to theory and
examples.
d) Summarise the differences in water use between MEDCs and LEDCs as different parts of the
development spectrum.
Most geography teachers would agree that it is important that students are exposed to statistical techniques
in a contextual way so that they can appreciate and understand the purpose of statistics in interpreting
numerical data and gain confidence in handling data.
Bibliography
http://earthtrends.wri.org/searchable_db/index.php?theme=2 WRI Earth Trends database on Water
Resources and Freshwater Ecosystems, accessed 11/2/2012
http://earthtrends.wri.org/searchable_db/index.php?theme=5 - WRI Earth Trends searchable database on
Economics, Business and the Environment, accessed 11/2/2012
portals.wi.wur.nl/files/docs/ppme/Water_poverty_index.pdf explains calculation and use of WPI, produced
by Centre for Environment and Hydrology, Wallingford, accessed 13/2/2012
http://geographyfieldwork.com/SpearmansRank.htm - significance graph from Barcelona Field Study Centre,
accessed 13/2/2012
Porkess R, 2012, The Future of Statistics in our Schools and Colleges, published by the Royal Statistical
Society.

18

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Piracy, supply shocks and energy security

Emma Rawlings Smith CGeog, British School Al-Khubairat, Abu Dhabi

Piracy
Watching the Volvo Ocean Race fleet speed into Abu Dhabi on New Years Eve 2011 at the end of leg two,
should have marked the end of 20 days of strenuous sailing from Cape Town. But for the first time in the
history of the round the world race, the six boats were taken out of the water and transported past Somalia,
the African country with the longest coastline, in a bid to keep the sailors and the boats safe from the threat
of piracy. In 2010, 1181 seafarers were kidnapped, many of whom were held hostage in bases such as Eyl,
in order to obtain ransom payments for the crew, vessels and valuable cargo.

Figure 1. Map of the Middle East

http://worldbirds.eu/zpmap/map_of_middle_east.htm

Figure 2. Piracy off the Somalian coast

http://www.historyguy.com/somali_pirate_attacks.htm

Piracy is a lucrative business in a country with few jobs. According to figures from the United Nations
International Marine Organisation, Somali pirates earned 93m in 2011 an average of 3m a vessel. This
money is the only source of income for the pirates, some of whom are former fishermen who lost their
businesses when foreign trawlers plundered Somali waters and took advantage of the countrys lack of
effective government. The international response to the increasing threat of piracy off the Somali coastline
was to send a 25-nation European Union and NATO coalition force, to patrol the 3.2 million square miles of
ocean between the Gulf of Aden and the East African coastline. The pirates have responded by moving
further north into the Arabian Sea and south into the Indian Ocean, often travelling over 1000 miles from
home.

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Figure 3. EU and NATO forces protecting shipping in
the Middle East
The roots of the failure of Somalias state ie in the clanbased uprisings of the Somali Civil war, which saw the
regime of Mohamed Siad Barre overthrown in 1991.
With an estimated income of $600 (CIA, 2011) and a
bottom of the table ranking on the Global Peace Index,
Somalia is now one of the poorest and most violent
states in the world.
The lack of formal governance particularly in the south
of Somalia, which includes the ports along the eastern
seaboard, has allowed the piracy industry to flourish.
The instability in Somalia exacerbated the recent drought conditions and in July 2011 the UN declared
famine, for the first time in 30 years, in two regions of Somalia. The drought affected up to 9.5 million people
across the Horn of Africa. The situation was so dire that half the Somali population required food aid for
survival. Even though aid agencies were refused entry to the Islamist militia al-Shabab controlled south,
conditions improved by early December as some aid trickled through to those in need and the rains fell early.
According to the auditors of the Transitional Federal Government, who control only a small part of the
country, bilateral aid to the regime totalled $75.6 million for 2009/2010 but only $2.875 million (four per cent)
could be accounted for (Pham, 2011). The International Crisis Group described the government as inept,
increasingly corrupt and hobbled by President Sharifs weak leadership. International goodwill towards this
government is waning (ibid).
In August 2011, a growing African Union (AMISOM) force managed to push al-Shabab out of the capital
Mogadishu, allowing a sense of ease to fall on the city. More recently the towns of Badhadhe and Baydhabo
have come under government control. Famine, piracy and the rising threat of terrorism, from al-Shabab
joining forces with al-Qaeda, are significant events which have forced a response from the international
community. In February 2012, the British Government held a much anticipated Somalia: London Conference,
with the agenda of re-establishing a strong Somali state. However the functioning Puntland and Somaliland
regions in the north oppose such a move. International politicians highlighted that decisions on Somalia's
future rest with the Somali people. This is however, at odds with the conference delegate list, since Al
Shabab hailed by Hilary Clinton as terrorists and the Eritreans both major players in Somalia, were not
invited to the talks (Harper, 2012).
Supply shocks
Figure 4. Destination of Iranian oil. (CIA 2011)
Piracy is one threat to energy insecurity, but it is not the
only one. Geopolitical tensions are building up between
Iran, an oil production hotspot, and the US due to the
perceived threat of a military element to Irans expanding
nuclear program. Last year, 20 per cent of Irans oil
st
exports ended up in the European Union. From the 1 of
July 2012, the European Union will follow the US by
placing an embargo on Iranian oil imports preventing any
company from buying oil from Iran. China, the largest
purchaser of Iranian oil, is taking this opportunity to
increase oil supplies; paying in gold to circumvent the
recent sanctions imposed on Irans Central Bank which
prevent trading in US dollars.
Tehrans rhetoric should be cause for concern for the oil producing countries of the Middle East who use the
Straits of Hormuz as an energy pathway to Europe. 90 per cent of Arabian Gulf oil is transported by tankers
which have to navigate slowly through this narrow 45 kilometre wide waterway opposite the Iranian coast.
Flows through the Straits are estimated at around 15-17 million barrels per day (bpd). To close this

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

pinchpoint would cut global oil supplies by one fifth and trigger a significant global oil shock. As I write this
article, the trading price of Brent crude oil has already reached a 43-month high at US$ 128.40 a barrel and
financial markets twitch with anticipation of supply disruption.
Alternative energy routes seem to be the most
obvious solution to political instability and potential
retaliatory action in the Middle East. However, the
building of oil pipeline infrastructure is very costly and
time consuming. A national pipeline due to open this
year to transport oil from the Habshan oilfields of Abu
Dhabi to the bunkering hub and oil storage terminal of
Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, has been planned to
bypass the Straits on the journey to global markets. It
should, according to the UAEs oil minister, be
transporting 1.5 million barrels daily by June 2012;
this represents just ten per cent of the oil transported
through the Straits. Many more such pipelines would
be required to complete the task.

Figure 5. Oil storage at Fujairah. Image: E Smith

Iran has built up an arsenal of Qader cruise missiles, Ghadir miniature submarines and mines much more
powerful than those deployed in the wars of the 1980s. The threat that Iran can strangle the Straits of
Hormuz is real. Whether Iran would actually cut off their own oil revenues by blocking the Straits, especially
since such actions would force an international military response is difficult to foretell. The aircraft carrier
USS Abraham Lincoln has entered the Arabian Gulf, escorted by British and French naval forces as a
precautionary move. A United Nations Atomic Energy Agency inspection team is waiting for the go ahead to
inspect the military site of Parchin, at the same time that satellite images show trucks and earth-moving
vehicles at the site, south of Tehran. Political talks between the EU and Iran are back on again all in the
hope that it is not too late for diplomacy.
And possible futures...
The 1973 oil crisis shocked many oil importers to change their energy policy. The U.S. is set to cut
imports by a half, to 6 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) between 2000 and 2035 (The Oil Drum,
2012). This is possible because new technology is being used to improve energy efficiency;
American fossil fuel reserves are being tapped to increase domestic output, including the shale
fields; and imports are increasing from reliable, politically stable allies such as Canada. In contrast,
China will see a rise in oil imports from 1 to 11 million bpd in the same time-frame, with a less secure
future.
The Middle East and North Africa region is heavily dependent on oil exports for growth and
development. Exports fell by 30.7% in 2009, due to the global economic crisis (EIA). Exports would
be hit again if the Straits of Hormuz were closed.
Unprecedented growth in global energy demand is leading to price hikes in key commodities.
According to the International Energy Agency, oil prices rose by 30% in 2010 and a further 40% in
2011. Recent oil price rises will continue to affect economic development in most oil importing
countries, as household energy bills and petrol prices continue to rise. Industry will try to pass on
these rising energy and petro-chemical costs to consumers. Food prices are likely to surge causing
inflation, and eaving less money in the pockets of consumers and a greater possibility of riots and
social unrest.

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Classroom Activities

Figure 6. Puma Volvo Ocean Race

1. Follow the journey of the Volvo Ocean Race at

http://www.volvooceanrace.com The fleet cross the
finishing line at Galway in the first week of July 2012.
2. Create a piracy map from news headlines and
compare it to the 2012 IMB Piracy map at
http://www.icc-ccs.org/piracy-reporting-centre/imblive-piracy-map
3. Compare the sources of imported energy for America
and China using data from the U.S. Energy
Information Administration database at
http://www.eia.gov

References:
CIA Factbook (2011) https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html
Harper, M. (2012) Will the world help or hinder Somalia? Available online at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17144557 (last accessed 9 March 2012).
One Earth Future Foundation (OEF) (2011) The Economic Cost of Somali Piracy 2011 Available online at
http://oceansbeyondpiracy.org/sites/default/files/economic_cost_of_piracy_2011.pdf (last accessed 9
March 2012).
International Energy Agency (2011) World Energy Outlook Report 2011. Available online at
http://www.iea.org/weo/docs/weo2011/factsheets.pdf (last accessed 9 March 2012).
Pham, P. (2011) Assessing the Consequences of the Failed State of Somalia Washington, D.C. Atlantic
Council [Accessed on 04.03.2012 http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/112/pha070711.pdf]
The Oil Drum (2012) America's changing energy choices Available online at
http://www.theoildrum.com/section/drumbeat (last accessed 9 March 2012).
Figure 3. Available online at http://tinyurl.com/7s5mwkw Author: C. Newsome: U.S. Navy
Figure 6. Available at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Puma_Volvo_Ocean_Race_2011.jpg

______________________________________________________

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Globalisation of Health: is the world feeling better?

Gill Miller, University of Chester
Globalisation connects people, places, industries and services, and health is no exception. There are several
contexts in which health is inter-connected around the globe from diseases and drugs, institutions and
organisations, to health professionals and tourists. We sometimes take time to reflect on the merits or
otherwise of globalisation, and this article is no exception. Is the globalisation of health good news?
Disease goes global
Diseases have always been capable of spreading around the world, but their impact was more limited in the
days of slower travel, which gave viruses time to die out before people reached their destination. An early
major pandemic was Spanish Flu in 1918 19, transmitted by soldiers sailing home after World War 1,
carrying flu on ships and spreading it in each port of call. During 2009, the Swine flu pandemic spread the
HINI virus much more rapidly from Mexico to locations as far apart as Japan, Australia, Chile and the UK. Air
travel enabled the virus to be carried to different continents while travellers were still infectious.
If you would like to track diseases globally and locally go to http://healthmap.org
HIV/AIDS has become a classic example of the globalisation of disease. Emerging from Africa in the 1960s,
it spread easily and rapidly by people travelling to North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. A
lack of understanding of the disease and any preventive actions has also emphasised the importance of
raising awareness of HIV in all communities across the world.
Figure 1: The spread of HIV across Africa between 1988 and 2003

Source: http://www.avert.org/history-aids-africa.htm

The Western world must take some responsibility for the global spread of some non-communicable
diseases. As societies in the developing world aspire to become more western, their diets are changing to
include more protein and more processed foods. Consequently the West is exporting diseases such as
obesity and diabetes. While it is certainly true that there are benefits for many people in the developing world
in having access to a more balanced and varied diet, the risks of over-nutrition are also increasingly
evident, especially as urban areas expand and fewer households produce their own food.

Global health players

Individual nations, such as the UK, monitor the global disease scene carefully to ensure that they can protect
their populations from unwanted imports of newly emerging diseases which can be drug-resistant.
Infectious diseases may be seen as a national security threat and governments seek to collaborate
internationally to protect themselves nationally.
There are many international institutions and organisations concerned with health issues and this makes the
global health landscape very complex (Figure 2). There are 40 bilateral donors, 26 UN agencies, 20 global

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

regional funds, and 90 health initiatives. There are also major NGOs which focus on health such as Medicine
Sans Frontires, OXFAM, Save the Children, Care International and CAFOD.
Figure 2 The complexity of the global health providers.

Global Health Watch 2 2008 p 212

World Health Organisation (WHO)
The WHO was founded in 1948 as part of the United Nations family of global
organisations. Its mandate is the Attainment by all peoples of the highest possible
level of health, defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being,
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, WHO 1948.
The aim of the WHO is to support the health needs of all 192 member states which fund the organisation. It
takes the lead in coordinating and directing global health targets. WHO has been criticised for trying to do
too much with too few financial resources. Neither the 3 by 5 programme for HIV, nor the Global Plan to
Stop TB was achieved because of funding shortfalls.
One problem in a large organisation is getting agreement on how the money is spent. There is a lack of
consensus on how global health improvements should be prioritised. In the WHO, the largest donors have
the most influence on spending. Some member states, such as the US, pay only a proportion of their
contributions directly to the WHO, preferring instead to finance special programmes in which they have a
particular interest.
As with many international /UN organisations, politics interferes with decision-making. The WHO has been
criticised for its partnerships with global pharmaceutical firms because it is supposed to be independent.
Some countries want the WHO to have a stronger focus on poverty reduction to improve health
The World Bank
The World Bank has many aid programmes which address poverty reduction and include
support to build national health systems. Health initiatives in the developing world are often
part of these programmes. The bank spent US$14 billion in 2005 on health initiatives, compared with the
WHO spending of US$4.2 billion (2008).
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The largest and most influential charity in the world, the Gates Foundation spent over
US$3billion in 2008. This dwarfs other foundations such as Wellcome Trust, Rockefeller and
Ford Foundations (Figure 3).

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

Figure 3: Funding on global heath by major private sources
The Gates Foundation spends most of its money
Value of international
on research in the areas of malaria, HIV/AIDS,
health grants (2006)
US$ million
immunisation, reproductive health and other
Gates Foundation
3,000
infectious diseases. The sums of money are huge
Wellcome
Trust
42
but there are reservations within the health
Rockefeller
Foundation
15.7
community. While no one doubts the benefits of
Ford Foundation
7.5
the health aid investments made, it is the Gates
family themselves who decide what health needs to focus on, rather than national governments or the WHO.
Decisions are not transparent or accountable to anyone. This potentially undermines the choices of Ministers
of Health in developing countries around the world. Gates has certainly raised the profile of health and the
health needs of the poor and it has galvanised action in several areas, but perhaps the Gates Foundation is
too powerful and influential.
Global Health Initiatives
A further group of global health players are the global initiatives. These are funded in various ways by
governments (e.g. DFID), foundations (e.g. Gates, Rockefeller Foundations), pharmaceutical companies
(e.g. Pfizer, Roche), World Bank and the WHO. These initiatives have been established to coordinate efforts
around one single health issues and involve huge sums of investment.

Figure 4: Global Health Initiatives

Global Health Initiatives
Major partners
Global
Alliance
for UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, Gates, CSOs,
vaccinations
and public health institutes
Immunisation (GAVI)
Global Fund to fight Aids, UNAIDS, WHO, World Bank, Stop TB, Roll
TB and malaria (GFATM)
Back malaria, bilateral donors, Gates, CSOs,
recipient governments
Roll Back Malaria
UNICEF,
UNDP,
WHO,
World
Bank,
ExxonMobile, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, BASF,
Gates.
Stop TB
WHO + several hundred universities, pharma,
biotech & vaccine companies, foundations,
governments.
International Aids Vaccine Over 20 from different sectors
Initiative

Main funders
International finance facility.
Gates, ODA
Gates, ODA

World Bank, GFATM, ODA

WHO, ODA

Gates,
World
Bank,
Rockefeller,
corporate
donors
Medicines
for
Malaria Several including Gates, Africa Matters Ltd, Gate, Rockefeller, ODA,
Venture
GlaxoWellcome, Clinical Trials Partnership, pharmaceutical
Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Tsukuba Research corporations,
Wellcome
Institute
Trust.
Source: Global Health Watch 2, 2008 p214
CSO Civil society organisations
ODA Overseas development assistance
Figure 4 illustrates some of the initiatives and the complicated net of partners and funding.
These initiatives are also criticised for lack of coordination, duplication and fragmentation of activities. Where
do national governments stand in relation to these global agencies? What contribution do health ministries
make to their national health agendas? Development aid for health is on offer, but for specific purposes. How
can national health systems be strengthened and supported if aid is restricted to particular health agendas?
Pharmaceutical companies
Pharmaceutical companies are at the core of advances in global health. They research and sell generic and
branded medicines and have a reputation for making healthy profits from high drug prices (Figure 5). They

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GA Post 16 and HE Committee

have been criticised for their concentration on western health needs over those in the developing world,
where sales are much less profitable. There are debates about the research costs of new drugs and their
eventual costs on the global market. Some developing countries, such as Brazil and South Africa, have
negotiated generic drug deals for HIV/AIDS patients. This has had a major impact by making antiretrovirals
affordable for all patients who need them.
Figure 5: The 12 largest pharmaceutical companies 2010
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Company
Johnson & Johnson
Pfizer
Roche
GlaxoSmithKline
Novartis
Sanofi
AstraZeneca[
Abbott Laboratories
Merck & Co.
Bayer HealthCare
Eli Lilly
Bristol-Myers Squibb

Country
United States
United States
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Switzerland
France
UK/Sweden
United States
United States
Germany
United States
United States

Total revenue US$

61.90
50.01
47.35
45.83
44.27
41.99
32.81
30.76
27.43
22.30
21.84
18.81

Source:
Annual
reports 2010-2011

Global Health

medical tourism
There are economic opportunities to be developed in medical tourism (Figure 6. Governments from Poland
to Budapest to Brazil and Thailand hope to benefit from foreign exchange by actively promoting health
tourism. In Malaysia, many private clinics are well-equipped with highly trained, specialist medical staff. They
offer cosmetic surgery, dental implants, eye surgery, transplants and cardio-vascular surgery for a fraction of
the cost in the Europe or the US. India is also encouraging its diaspora to return to India for a similar range
of small scale as well as sophisticated surgery.
Figure 6: Global health tourism.
The dark side of medical tourism is illegal
and dangerous, a growing, unregulated
trade in organ trafficking. Poor and
vulnerable people are persuaded to sell
body parts such as kidneys as a desperate
measure to reduce their household poverty.

Health enquiries advertised on Health-Tourism.com:

Someone from United States contacted Panama for Hernia Repair
Someone from Australia Malaysia for Botox laser treatments
Someone from Kosovo Turkey for Colorectal Cancer
Someone from Canada contacted Argentina for Cosmetic Surgery
Someone from Saudi Arabia Germany for Maxillofacial Surgery

Someone from Bangladesh contacted India for Brain Surgery

Global Health Workers
The National Health Service in the UK has a
Someone from Bulgaria contacted Israel for Glaucoma Surgery Specialist
large workforce from overseas including
Someone from United States contacted Thailand for Hair Transplant
277,000 doctors from India, Pakistan, and
Someone from United States contacted Costa Rica for Neurology
South Africa, as well as Australia. These
professionals are welcome in the UK to
meet national health service needs, and they often send remittances back to families. The disadvantage is
that their home countries have lost key personnel and skills which are needed for their own populations. This
leaves a country continually struggling to provide the health services which it needs in order to develop. In
Ghana, 50% of trained nurses have left the country within ten years, to work mainly in Canada, US or UK.

The global economy hosts many thousands of international companies.

Private health firms are no exception and many operate in several
countries. The role of foreign firms in providing health care may be
controversial at times.

26

NHS row: should foreign

companies be allowed to
run hospitals?

GA Post 16 and HE Committee

BUPA (British United Providence Association) has ten million members in
195 countries, plus 23.2 million served by its partner organisation, Health
Dialog in the US. BUPA has acquired private health clinics in Australia,
New Zealand, Ireland and the Middle East as well as building up a
clientele in China.

German company
involved in talks to take
over NHS hospitals

Conclusion
There are many aspects to the global health debate. The huge sums of investment enable new technologies
and drugs to be developed. Global organisations have the money and finance to make a significant impact
on specific diseases, which helps millions of the poorest and most vulnerable people.
As the world gets smaller, diseases travel faster. People move to countries where they can use their medical
skills in well-equipped surroundings and earn more money. Tourists can travel easily to address their health
problems and overseas medical investment can provide local employment opportunities.
Does global health need to be controlled? What role should governments have in setting their own national
health agendas? Is it best to focus on single issue health problems or would money be better invested in
improving integrated l primary health systems in the developing world?
Does the globalisation of health make the world feel better?

Who are the Post16 HE Phase Committee?

Iain Palt
Chair
Alan Marvell Vice-Chair, University of Gloucestershire
Jenny Hill
Secretary, University of the West of England
Helen Hore
Treasurer, Central Sussex College
Gill Miller
Newsletter editor, University of Chester
Rachel Adams
Wimbledon High School, GDST
Anthony Allchin Worthing Sixth Form College
Mick Dawson
University of Surrey
Katie Denton
PCGE Student, University of Southampton
Bob Digby
GA President 2012
Liz Elam
Abbey College Manchester
Richard Kotter
Northumbria University
Simon Oates Bancrofts School
Glenys Owen-Jones, Outsight Learning
Peter Price
Charterhouse School
Emma Rawlings Smith
British School, Abu Dhabi
Will Stainsby Charter School, Dulwich

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