Royal Holloway, University of London has been successful in its bid for funding from the government’s new Turing Scheme. The £475,000 grant will enable the university to offer its students over 200 additional work and study placements abroad over the next academic year.
As part of the new global scheme, Canada, Japan and the United States are amongst over 150 international destinations where UK students will be funded to take up work and study placements – alongside popular European countries like Germany and France.
Students joining Royal Holloway this September will be able to apply for volunteering opportunities, as well as one of the summer schools that take place in countries such as Cambodia, Canada, China, India, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. As well as shorter term opportunities, the scheme will also support longer duration visits including students taking degrees with an integrated year abroad, as well as those who choose to apply for a ‘year out’.
Royal Holloway will work with the international volunteering partner organisation, Challenges Abroad, to expand opportunities for its students to participate in global volunteering opportunities. Volunteering is an important part of the Royal Holloway student experience and this will build on the strength of Royal Holloway Volunteering, an award-winning department that develops volunteering and community opportunities for students to take part in. The university’s Community Action programme received The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2017.
Professor James Knowles, Deputy Principal (Academic) at Royal Holloway, commented: “The Turing Scheme funding expands the number and type of awards we can offer and allows us to focus on students who have not travelled abroad before or are unable to do so due to financial or social pressures. The award is an important step in our strategy to reduce educational disadvantage and improve the educational and employment outcomes for all our students.”
Dr Jon Howden-Evans, Director of Student and Academic Services at Royal Holloway, said: “Spending time working and studying abroad can be life-changing for students. Through these opportunities our students gain invaluable new experiences and transferable skills which can help and inspire them to achieve their highest potential.”
The Turing Scheme is the UK government’s scheme to provide funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world. It supports Global Britain by providing an opportunity for UK organisations from the higher education, further education, vocational education and training and schools sectors to offer their students, learners and pupils life-changing experiences to study or work abroad.
