In 2024 Edinburgh Global reaffirmed our commitment to global education and inclusivity with new initiatives and significant collaborative work. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program team receiving the Principal's medal, November 2024. Landmark launchesIn January our Education Beyond Borders (EBB) initiative launched with its new scholarship supporting displaced people and promoting global access. EBB is the most generous UK programme supporting forcibly displaced students and academics and we were pleased to welcome our first intake of 21 postgraduate scholarship students in September 2024. The second phase of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (2023–2030) welcomed its first 46 scholars in September too. The scholarship exclusively supports sustainability-related studies to educate future climate leaders and prioritises underrepresented groups in its recruitment, demonstrating the partnership's increased commitment to inclusivity and equality. Education Beyond Borders launch event Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Phase two Recognition and feedback Edinburgh Global received notable recognition this year. We know our team builds on the work of many who came before us, but also of the community across Edinburgh Global and beyond that has supported our programme and Scholars over the past 8 years. I hope Edinburgh Global feels our gratitude, and that this is an award for us all in Edinburgh Global! Charlie Bevan Program Director, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program The MCF team earned the Principal’s Medal for their innovative Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, and Inga Ackerman from the MCF team was also recognised with a teaching award. Sarah Hoey, the Head of EBB, won a USG (Collaborating for Success) and a CAHSS Community Impact Award. Awards success for Edinburgh Global Study and Work Away (SWAY) The University’s 'mobility for all' initiative continued to widen participation in study and work abroad through 2024, and despite a much more straightened funding landscape, the team secured Turing Scheme and Development Trust funding to support international mobility activities, including exchanges and new innovative projects. Over 4,000 inbound and outbound students had international experiences in 2023/24, with 1,473 Edinburgh students engaging in overseas study exchanges, placements, or in short-term global opportunities with the University’s 300+ global partners. SWAY latest developments Global Partnership and regional teams Regional engagement advanced with the Regional teams drafting six comprehensive regional plans for the regions across the world where the University is active and has strong ongoing partnership activity. Across the next year the Regional teams will be working with regional stakeholders to ensure plans deliver against the objectives of the University’s research and innovation and teaching and learning strategies. Numerous seed funding opportunities for academics and collaborative activity with global partners were facilitated by the partnership and regional teams across all regions, and in Europe the team continued to grow the Una Europa community at the University and supported a growing number of researchers and academics to access Una Europa seed-funding to support collaborative activity with Una Europa member universities. In March, the Global Partnership team worked to support the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW), which attracted the hosting of 800+ delegates to Edinburgh for an important event which fostered urgent dialogue between science and Indigenous communities on future sustainability and resilience in the Arctic. Regional engagement Global Partnership Europe and Una Europa Arctic Science Summit Week Mastercard Foundation Scholars Team (MCF) As part of the Phase two of the MCF program, two new projects were launched and developed during 2024. Digital Education Practitioner Networks - A project creating practitioner networks and digital capacity building for higher education in sub-Saharan Africa and the The Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures (WESAF) Doctoral Programme, which aims to provide research training to equip students (primarily academics already holding tenured positions) to complete interdisciplinary doctoral research on areas related to sustainability on the African continent. In April and May of 2024, Mastercard Foundation WESAF Fellows and a delegation of 13 academics from the University of Edinburgh participated in a 10-day Sustainability School at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, South Africa. The blended programme is designed to enable students to complete an online Master’s and online doctorate, with in-person Sustainability Schools once a year. In November, the first cohort of WESAF scholars graduated from their Masters by Research. They will progress now to PhDs jointly supervised between Wits and Edinburgh. Digital Education Practitioner Networks MCF Impact stories WESAF Sustainability School Global Community Jen Todd joined as the new lead of the Staff Immigration Service. The team support international staff and invited international visitors to the University with immigration advice. In the summer the team launched a new enquiry management system to provide a more robust service. Staff Immigration Service Jen Todd joins as the new lead of the Service Communications & IT In 2024, the Communications and IT team highlights were the launch campaigns, for Education Beyond Borders, phase two of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars programme and Refugee Week. The IT staff played a crucial role in supporting these launches, creating the Education Beyond Borders scholarship’s online application system and onboarding Mastercard Foundation Scholars with IT equipment and training. They also worked hard to overcome barriers to sending much needed recycled IT equipment to colleagues at partner university in Kyiv (KNU) and launched a streamlined enquiry system for the Staff Immigration Service. The Communications team were pleased to launch the 2024 Edinburgh Global Photography competition and its accompanying on-campus exhibition, showcasing creativity across the University. The theme for 2024 is Edinburgh in Focus. Read about international student, Nishok's, first hand experience of having his photography exhibited on a University building:From a childhood dream to a surreal moment at the University of Edinburgh: Nishok's feedbackPhotography competition Refugee Week IT support for KNU A year in visits and events with the Edinburgh Global Business UnitOur Business Unit supports all EG teams with a range of work. One aspect of their support includes facilitating inward visits from existing or potential University partners and stakeholders to support partnership, community work, and our civic mission. The team hosted or facilitated more than 85 global-themed visits and events and supported over 65 committee meetings in 2024. A review of the highlights gives an insight into the diversity of the work across Edinburgh Global: January - March Launched Education Beyond Borders. Celebrated the global impact of short online courses. Hosted two visits from the University of Copenhagen, including its Rector and Senior Leadership Team. Hosted the Africa 2024 Prospects and Forecasts Reception. Welcomed the EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, with representatives from 14 Scottish universities, SFC, and Universities Scotland. Organised the Global Collaborative for Liberal Arts event, bringing together the University of Edinburgh, Vassar College, the University of Global Health Equity, and IIT Bombay for a two-day event. Facilitated the Arctic Connections Summit Workshops. April - June Hosted the Una Europa “Europe and the World” workshop with colleagues from 11 European universities. Celebrated Europe Day with a webinar, language taster sessions, and a conference with Martin Johnson, Director of the EU Directorate. Welcomed the Minister of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony. Launched the Edinburgh-Leiden Joint Institute in The Hague. July - September Hosted the African Gifted Foundation, focusing on developing Africa’s future STEM leaders through cross-College representation meetings. Facilitated a two-day visit from the U21 Provost and Director of Operations. Organised a Cara Networking Event at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. Welcomed the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. October - December Hosted the Africa Research Day conference, with the High Commissioner of Tanzania as guest speaker. Welcomed Leiden University’s Rector and Senior Leadership Team for a two-day visit. Facilitated a three-day study trip funded by a British Council Grant, bringing colleagues from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv to Edinburgh. Confucius Institute for Scotland In 2024, the Confucius Institute for Scotland team continued to enrich of campus life by offering students and staff unique opportunities to engage with Chinese arts and culture. Free language tasters and longer courses for staff and students provided a gateway to the Chinese language, as well as cultural events such as calligraphy workshops, Chinese film screenings, talks and conferences. As well as traditional Chinese New Year celebrations, the Institute’s team look forward to the launch of an exhibition in partnership with The Great Tapestry of Scotland to host The Journey of Songjiang’s Cotton Textiles in January. This unique exhibition, curated by artist Dong Ye, will celebrate the 700-year legacy of Songjiang’s ancient weaving techniques. The Journey of Songjiang’s Cotton Textiles Confucius Institute for Scotland This article was published on 2024-12-20
