SEPTEMBER 2023

As we mark the start of a new academic year, we take the time to reflect on the successes of the last twelve months, while also looking ahead to the future and the exciting challenges and opportunities that await us.

On July 31st we celebrated the closure of our hugely successful flagship fundraising campaign, which secured over £125m in philanthropic commitments. My deepest thanks to all the colleagues and donors who have made this possible, especially while facing the uncertainty and complexity of a global pandemic.

I am thrilled to announce that we recently placed 14th in the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024. These results put the University ninth in the UK, and second in Scotland in the first QS Europe rankings, which feature 690 institutions across the continent. We are incredibly proud of our reputation as a global institution with deep ties to Europe. This strong performance in the inaugural QS Europe rankings is testament to those links and our commitment to being an outward-looking and globally connected university.

On that note, I would also like to take this opportunity to say how delighted we are at the recent announcement that the UK will rejoin the European Union’s funding programme, Horizon Europe. This is incredibly welcome news, and we look forward to furthering our research collaborations with our European colleagues through the scheme.

Best wishes,
Rachel Sandison
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement)