Global Partnerships Group

The Global Partnerships Group has the following remit:

• Reviews, prioritises and monitors delivery of agreed outcomes from the University’s existing portfolio of strategic, complex or high-risk international partnerships, providing regular reports to University Executive as required.
• Ensures a clear portfolio of impactful international partnerships, informed by transparent cyclical reviews which are well placed to deliver our ambitions across Learning and Teaching, Research and Innovation and Civic Mission. This includes leadership, capacity to support, funding requirements, identified strategic outcomes, delivery approaches and risks as required.
• Proactively assesses opportunities for new global strategic partnerships, both with other highly-renowned Higher Education Institutions, but also with key industrial partners aligned to our ambition to boost innovation through our global activities. The latter will involve close and effective working with Edinburgh Innovations.
• Ensures via Edinburgh Global, and in partnership with Colleges and Schools, available support and capacity to unlock the identified objectives of the University’s strategic portfolio of international partnerships, progressing decisions through relevant governance as required.
• Provides strategic advice, guidance and decision-making relating to potentially significant international partnerships at early-stage development, ensuring risks and opportunities are appropriately managed.
• Requests and provides briefings and updates relevant to the University’s international mission, or establishes short-life working groups where required.
• Oversees use of the University’s allocated funding for international partnerships, ensuring value for money, and that investment is being used to promote the best strategic opportunities in alignment with our academic and civic mission.
• Works collaboratively with other Directorates (Student Recruitment and Admissions; Development and Alumni; Edinburgh Innovations; Edinburgh Research Office) with significant international and global portfolios, ensuring a cohesive and aligned approach to management of our external engagement, as well as coordinating activities aligned to relevant University governance groups and committees.
• Reports on delivery of the University’s Global Action Plan to the University Executive and Senate annually, demonstrating how investment in international partnerships is delivering the strategic objectives of our Teaching and Learning, Research and Innovation and Civic Mission strategies.
• Ensures clear and regular communications to the University community on our approach to international partnerships, and the benefits that engagement in those is bringing to the University’s academic and civic mission objectives.
• Manages communications with external partners and organisations with diplomacy and effectiveness, including when choosing to cease or not engage in opportunities.

• Prof. Kim Graham, Provost (Chair)
• Alan Mackay, Deputy Vice-Principal International (Deputy Chair)
• Dr Andrea Taylor, CEO, Edinburgh Innovation
• Dr Lorna Thomson, Director, Edinburgh Research Office
• Prof. Liz Baggs, Vice-Principal Research and Innovation
• Louise Kelso, Director, Legal Services
• Prof. Mike Shipston, Dean of International Partnerships, College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine
• Prof. Soledad Garcia Ferrari, International Dean, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Prof. Neil Robertson, International Dean, College of Science and Engineering
• Prof. Tom Bruce, International Dean, College of Science and Engineering
• Lucy Evans, Associate Principal and Deputy Secretary, Students