The days are getting shorter and our MPP students are in the final weeks of their Summer Project. In the last couple of months they have been working with governments, NGOs and private sector companies where they had the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to a real-life policy challenge.

While 27 of our 62 students have been spending all or most of their time in the UK for their project, the others are spread around 23 different countries including USA and China, and more unexpected destinations such as Panama and Afghanistan. All the students will leave their work placements in the next couple of weeks to go back to their country of residence, after having submitted their summer project report - a piece of work that analyses a specific policy questions they have explored during their placement.

However the students could also get their teeth into another, more fun task during their placement – ‘The Spirit of the Summer Project’ photo competition. We’ve challenged them to send us the most interesting and representative photos of their experience: from meeting national public figures and spreading the word about the Blavatnik School, to visiting famous landmarks and documenting unusual working days.

What we were hoping to see was a visual representation of the highlights of their placement, and we are happy to see that the students have risen to the challenge and sent a fantastic array of interesting, funny and imaginative pictures.

So before we announce the winners during the first week of September, we’ve pulled together a photo gallery that we want to share with everyone who is interested in finding out more about the summer project component of the MPP programme. Amongst the beautiful landscapes, the world-known landmarks and (not so) subtle references to the School, the real spirit of the Summer Project shines through: a hands-on, exciting experience in a new environment and a precious opportunity to learn in the field!

And if you’re one of our students reading this and haven’t sent a photo yet, you have until August 31 to send your snap.