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Heriot-Watt University last night played host to Nathan Bostock, Santander UK's CEO on his first official visit to Heriot-Watt University.
Mr Bostock visited the University as part of an event to celebrate the Edinburgh institution being awarded almost £100,000 in funding as part of Santander Universities' Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Fund; as well as to discuss the importance of SMEs to the UKs economy.
Our strategic relationship with Santander Universities has gone from strength to strength, and thanks to their support we have been able to support more students and SMEs than ever through internships, work placements, mobility grants and entrepreneurial training.
As part of its ten-year anniversary celebrations in the UK, Santander Universities launched a £1m Enterprise and Entrepreneurship fund designed to support universities in delivering large-scale projects benefiting over 5,000 people directly and driving economic benefits across the UK. Heriot-Watt was one of only two Scottish universities to be awarded grants from the Santander Universities Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Fund to support entrepreneurship.
Discussing the visit, Professor Richard A Williams, Principal & Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Nathan and his colleagues from Santander to Heriot-Watt. Our strategic relationship with Santander Universities has gone from strength to strength, and thanks to their support we have been able to support more students and SMEs than ever through internships, work placements, mobility grants and entrepreneurial training.
“At the start of the year we signed a new £50,000 three-year agreement with Santander to continue to support students to not only further their workplace skills, but to also help encourage more entrepreneurial thinking and develop innovative ideas – all of which is a priority for us here at Heriot-Watt. To also be awarded almost £100,000 from the Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Fund to deliver a programme that will benefit the wider community will deliver real benefit to the economy and the University is proud to be spearheading this initiative,” he said.
Nathan Bostock, Chief Executive, Santander UK, said: “Santander is committed to supporting higher education as well as local communities across the UK. It's been great to visit the University and see first-hand the real impact of our joint programmes including our internship scheme which is helping to improve the employability of young people in the region as well as helping local businesses access new skills and talent.”