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Our ongoing partnership with Santander Universities helps ensure we remain at the forefront of providing a truly global experience
The success of our relationship with the Santander Universities initiative has led to the signing of second three-year agreement.
This new agreement commits £50,000 per year for the next three years, money which will support the University's entrepreneurial activity, scholarships and our global internship programme which has proved hugely popular with students and local Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), with demand outstripping supply.
Partners from Santander Universities including Director, Matt Hutnell joined James Muldoon, head of the Scottish Government's Entrepreneurship team, Principal Professor Richard A. Williams and Dr Gill Murray, Deputy Principal for Enterprise and Business, to celebrate the signing in the new Enterprise and Innovation Hub in the James Watt Centre.
Professor Williams said: “We wholeheartedly celebrate the signing of our second three-year agreement which aligns perfectly with the University's aspirations. Our ongoing partnership with Santander Universities helps ensure we remain at the forefront of providing a truly global experience, which gives our students relevant insight and skills to help them prosper in this changing world.”
Since 2016, Santander funding has allowed Heriot-Watt University to provide 19 student internships which have resulted in 12 being offered full-time employment with the companies they worked with. In addition, 40 mobility grants have been awarded, providing staff and students with the opportunity to present research at high-profile international events or to study abroad. Additionally, a number of students have benefited from entrepreneurial training including Michael Harkins, who after entering Watt Ventures in 2016 has gone on to win numerous enterprise awards for his company Turtle Pack.
Dr Gill Murray added: “The Santander funding over the first three years was invaluable and now we can continue for the next three to offer scholarships, internships, mobility grants and entrepreneurship activities such as the enterprise bootcamps led by our dedicated enterprise team which, since October, have helped around 50 students take their first step towards starting their own company.
“Our aim is to deliver more commercialisation and company formation projects and to be known as a leading provider of enterprise education, an area that will have a strong focus in our emerging Discovery and Innovation Centre.”