Swansea University student Beki Quinlan, 19, originally from High Wycombe, has won a 2007 Baylis and Smith Prize for the best first year essay in International Relations.

The Prize, worth £100 in books from the Oxford University Press (OUP), is open to all higher education institutions in the UK that teach International Relations.

The Prize was established by the OUP in 2005 to celebrate the success of their leading text book, The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations.  The book has sold more than 160,000 copies in 35 different countries and has now been translated into Arabic, Korean and Polish. 

One of the book's authors, Professor John Baylis, is a Pro-Vice-Chancellor and former Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations (2001-2005) at Swansea University.

The Baylis and Smith prize rewards outstanding first-year students who have written the best essay on international relations at the end of their first year of study.

This year, the prize at Swansea University went to Beki, who is now starting her second year at the University. She was presented with her prize on Monday, October 1, by Professor John Baylis.

Speaking after receiving the prize, Beki said: "I was completely shocked to receive the award. I had absolutely no idea that I had submitted the winning essay. The books are certainly going to come in useful.

"It's great to know that my course textbook was written by someone here at Swansea, and that the book is one of the leading texts in its field. I feel really privileged to have received the prize from Professor Baylis.

"When I graduate, I want to travel around India and then I'd like to look into a career in the Foreign Office or diplomatic service. My grandfather worked in the Foreign Office and it would be good to carry on the family tradition."

The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations is now about to be published in its fourth edition. The book has been updated to reflect recent developments in world politics and includes three new chapters on the changing nature of war, human security, and international ethics.

Professor John Baylis said: "The book is intended to provide a comprehensive introduction to international relations and it is best suited to students taking up the subject for the first time.

"I am delighted that the book continues to help students to develop an interest in politics and international relations, and I congratulate Beki on her excellent essay. She is a deserving winner of this year's prize."

For more information on Politics and International Relations at Swansea University visit http://www.swanseapolitics.org.uk/.