Global stories

STAR (Student Action for Refugees) is a UK-wide network of student societies volunteering and campaigning for and with refugees. Edinburgh's President, Max Altara, shares what the society has been up to over the past year.

Education Beyond Borders Programme Manager, Nadin Akta, shares her experience as a British-Syrian, finding a new home in Edinburgh and now supporting others like her into education.

After fleeing Syria, Ahmad shares his story of gaining educational support and skills from the University’s initiatives, STTEPS (Syrian Teenager Tutoring and Education Programme) and Syrian Futures.

Like many others, Afraa, a recent graduate of Neuroscience, was deeply moved by the challenges faced by Syrians and admired their bravery, and decided to volunteer as a mentor with STTEPS (Syrian Teenage Tutoring and Education Programme).

Local charity, The Welcoming, are using University rooms for free to teach English to refugees and those seeking sanctuary.

Oksana, a dedicated PhD student, fled Kyiv amidst Russia’s invasion. This article chronicles her resilience after arriving at Edinburgh and her efforts in organising Ukrainian Week to raise awareness and understanding of Ukrainian culture.

Inga Ackermann from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars’ Program team was acknowledged for her ‘Outstanding Contribution to Social Justice and Sustainability’ at the Edinburgh University Students' Association’s annual Teaching Awards in April 2024.

To mark Europe Day on 9 May 2024, and across the week, the University celebrated its ongoing commitment to European values, its European partnership links and continued opportunities for increased collaboration and exchange through the University’s membership of the Una Europa Alliance.

Recently appointed, Jen Todd, who is an Immigration Legal Advisor at Edinburgh Global, talks about recent changes to the University’s Staff Immigration Service.

Master of Public Health and online Kenyan student Amanda Wanyonyi takes us through her rewarding Una Europa experiences.

On International Education Day, Professor Sir Peter Mathieson joined other university leaders in Zurich to speak about university autonomy - the lessons learned and future efforts.

Edinburgh hosted the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) during 21-29 March 2024, welcoming over 800 delegates to share knowledge and collaborate on Arctic research and policy.

In March 2024, the Global Collaborative for the Liberal Arts met in person for the first time at the University of Edinburgh. The Collaborative is a partnership of Vassar College, the University of Edinburgh, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and the University of Global Health Equity. This meeting brought the partners together to share challenges and aspirations around institutional strategy and impact.

Ukrainian Week will take place at the University, from 8-10 April 2024, featuring a series of lectures, events and film screenings highlighting Ukrainian language, literature, culture, and history.

The annual student photography competition winners have been announced! The competition was open in Semester 1 under the theme ‘My Edinburgh’. Open to international students and students who have had a study or work away experience, the submissions totalled over 150 photos.

One year on from the launch of the Principal’s African Partnership Fund, Edinburgh is about to embark on a series of collaborative events in Ghana and Zimbabwe.

The Confucius Institute for Scotland in the University of Edinburgh is a national centre that promotes educational and cultural ties between Scotland and China.

On 6 February the University hosted Africa 2024: Prospects and Forecasts, in partnership with the Royal African Society.

Education Beyond Borders brings together work across the University of Edinburgh, including funding, support, collaborative and staff and student-led initiatives to ensure access and pathways to education for displaced scholars.

Edinburgh Global is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Regional Directors.

Representatives from Edinburgh will attend the world’s largest international gathering uniting to address the challenges faced by refugees.

A recent conference took place to mark a key stage in our partnership.

Over 60 Edinburgh students joined worldwide partner institutions to participate in several summer school programmes provided by Edinburgh Global services. The students took part in seminars, activities and networking to develop their intercultural skills and tackle global challenges.

Starting at the University of Edinburgh and proceeding midweek to the University of Amsterdam, 37 delegates from 31 partner institutes were immersed in an interactive learning environment.