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Year In Review: Celebrating ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's global impact in 2023

15 December 2023

Discover the top global stories and news from ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Global Engagement and the wider ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº community over the past year.

Compilation of Global Engagment images from 2023

Throughout 2023,Ìýat ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº, our academic and student communities have been collaborating across borders and boundaries, working withÌýpartners across the world to co-create fair solutions to pressing challenges.

And as London’s Global University, we have marked several defining moments that underscore our commitment to internationalisation.Ìý

Here, we reflect on the top global stories of 2023 from ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Global Engagement and the wider ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº community.

January

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº academics awarded Global Engagement Funds 2022/23

In the eighth round of the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Global Engagement Funds (GEF), more than 70 academics were awarded funding to support their collaborations with colleagues around the world.

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº academics awarded Partner Funds 2022/23

We ran 12 funding streams to support joint projects led by ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº academics with colleagues at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's key global partner institutions, from North America to Australia to East Asia.Ìý

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New strategic academic advisors appointed to help shape ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s global engagement

We announcedÌýProfessor David Coen as ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s Pro-Vice-Provost (Global Engagement) alongside the appointment of three Global Strategic Academic Advisors (GSAAs): Dr Uta Staiger (Europe), Professor Monica LakhanpaulÌý(India)Ìýand Director Katharine Carruthers (China).Ìý

Celebrating International Mother Language Day

In honour of International Mother Language Day (21 February), Dr Michael Spence (¹û¶³Ó°Ôº President & Provost) and Professor Li Wei (Director & Dean, IOE, ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's Faculty of Education & Society) met to discuss their shared love of languages, from raising bilingual children to preserving heritage languages.

March

Vice-Provost (RIGE) leads Japan visit to build on strong research links

In March, a ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº delegation led by Vice-Provost (RIGE) Professor Geraint Rees travelled to Japan to meet with key partners in the country. The week-long visit was Professor Rees’ first in his Vice-Provost role and strengthened ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s longstanding relationships with Osaka University (OU), Tohoku University (TU), RIKEN, HORIBA, and the British Embassy in Tokyo.

April

In the Spring edition of Portico, ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's magazine for alumni and supporters, DrÌýMichael Spence highlighted how ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº serves as a beacon of internationalism, demonstrating the value of global connections.

May

Reconnecting with ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s valued Chinese community

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº received a warm welcome from key partners in academia and business, supporters, alumni, students and parents as part of a visit to mainland China in MayÌýfollowing the lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions.Ìý

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº ranked 9th in the 2024 QS World University Rankings

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº is ranked inÌýthe top 10 globally for 12 years running, recognised for the strength of its international research network for the second year running, earning the second position globally.

June

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº and Indian partners drive disability innovation through assistive technology

The Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) at ¹û¶³Ó°ÔºÌýsigned a new Memorandum of Understanding with colleagues from the Assistech Lab at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and R2D2 lab at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras).

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July

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº welcomes policymakers for inaugural Global Insights and Summer Social

More than 100 guests in the diplomatic and policy communityÌýaround the world joined us for anÌýan evening’s discussion on artificial intelligence, followed by networking.

August

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº academics collaborating internationally become ABSW Media Fellows

In ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Global Engagement, we supported Oksana Pyzik and Dr Niall Jeffrey to join the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW) Media Fellowship scheme 2023. The scheme aims to give scientists the confidence to engage with the media andÌýbuild understanding between science and society.

September

Rejoining Horizon Europe is a ‘cause for celebration’

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº leaders warmly welcomedÌýthe UK Government’s deal with the European Commission, enabling UK scientists to fully access Horizon Europe, the flagship £81bn (€95bn) research and innovation programme.

Applications open for the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Reach Alliance 2023-2024 cohort

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº students appliedÌýto becomeÌýstudent researchers on the Reach Alliance programme:ÌýaÌýglobal research and leadership initiative founded at the University of Toronto, aimed at addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Ìý

October

Celebrating 160 years of ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº-Japan friendship

In his first visit to Japan as ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº President & Provost, Dr Michael SpenceÌýmet with key partners with whom the university collaborates to address a range of global challenges, from dementia to climate change.

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº hosts inaugural EU-UK Youth Gathering

The ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº European Institute and the Delegation of the European Union to the UK brought together more than 120 students to discuss the primary challenges facing today's young people and share perspectives on EU-UK relations.

November

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº strengthens commitment to India with 100 new Master’s scholarships and Summer School launch

During an institutionalÌývisit to India, ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº announcedÌýa new scholarship scheme to enable 100 of India’s brightest students to study at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº, as well as ourÌýfirst ever Summer School for pre-university students in the country.

Navigating the UN Landscape: A ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº-GSPI capacity-building visit to Geneva

From 20-23 November, six ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº researchers travelled to Geneva to build confidence and gain insights into multilateral policymaking and science-policy engagement alongside counterparts from the University of Geneva and the University of Zurich.

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº and New Giza University strengthen relationship with renewed health sciences collaboration

¹û¶³Ó°ÔºÌýand New Giza University, Egypt, signed a new Dentistry, Medicine and Pharmacy agreement, reinforcing shared commitment to advancing educational opportunities and fostering academic excellence.Ìý

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº deepens collaboration with partners in South Korea

In November, ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº achieved several milestones with partners in South Korea aimed at supporting the development of new collaborations across industry and academia. This included signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Korea University.

DecemberÌý

New Global Strategic Academic Advisor (Africa) appointed

Julius Mugwagwa, Professor of Health Innovation and Public Policy at the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy, was announced as ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s Global Strategic Academic Advisor (Africa).ÌýIn this part-time role, ProfessorÌýMugwagwaÌýwill be responsible for developing ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s approach to engagement and collaboration with Africa, providing academic expertise to steer ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s engagement there.

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Further information

As London’s Global University, ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº works with partners across the world to co-create fair solutions to pressing challenges. Find out more about ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's activity in each of theÌýregions below:

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