University part of delegation led by Deputy First Minister John Swinney
A delegation of Scotland’s higher education leaders, including Principal Andrea Nolan and Naomi Graham, Assistant Principal International, is accompanying Scotland’s Deputy First Minister John Swinney on an official visit to India this week.
The trip coincides with an announcement that the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has set up a new £200,000 scholarship fund which will give 20 students from India scholarships of up to £10,000 for 2018/19, jointly funded by the SFC and Scottish universities.
This means students from India studying in Scotland now have access to more than £6million in international scholarships with over £1million ring-fenced to specifically attract outstanding Indian students, Universities Scotland has revealed.
For 2018/19, Edinburgh Napier is again offering its South Asia Scholarships of between £1,000 and £3,000. More than £100,000 was awarded to Indian students last year through the merit-based scheme, in addition to four Education is GREAT India Scholarships, each worth £7,000.
The four-day visit to Mumbai and Delhi is a joint venture between the Scottish Government, British Council, Scottish Development International and Universities Scotland. Higher education leaders are meeting with key Indian government officials, education policymakers and business leaders. Together, they will share the message that ‘Scotland’s universities welcome India’ while demonstrating Scotland’s reputation in research, innovation and learning.
The programme will also include an alumni event for recent graduates and business leaders who have studied in Scottish universities or worked in collaboration with them, a research and innovation seminar to showcase incredible international partnership projects between Scotland and India, and a traditional St Andrews Day reception to celebrate Scottish culture.
Edinburgh Napier Principal and Vice Chancellor Professor Andrea Nolan said: “Edinburgh Napier is a truly international university and this visit is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our links with one of our key partners.
"We already have around 140 Indian students on campus in Edinburgh and this figure is growing every year. This mission is a chance to showcase their contribution to Edinburgh Napier life, but it also allows us to explore other ways in which we can work with partners in India, for example through innovative research collaborations or by harnessing our ever-growing Indian alumni network.”
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “I am delighted to announce these 20 scholarships and to extend a warm welcome to students from India to come to Scotland to benefit from a high-quality educational experience, our world-class research and Scotland’s distinctive culture.
“I fully expect our friends from India will make good use of the opportunities to develop the skills they need to support their long-term employment prospects.”
The India higher education mission is part a global campaign called ‘Scotland’s universities welcome the world’ which celebrates the diversity and inclusivity of Scottish universities. It is backed by all 19 higher education institutions across Scotland, which are already home to more than 180 different nationalities among their students and staff.
For more information about the mission in India, visit studyinscotland.org or check out #ScotlandwelcomesIndia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.