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Together, we shape the future

Shaping Futures, A Campaign for Global Impact

Shaping the future is central to the purpose of the global Heriot-Watt community, driving a spirit of ambition to be at the forefront of new ideas and providing solutions to meet society’s needs.

Professor Richard A. Williams, CBE

Principal and Vice-Chancellor

Our priorities

At Heriot-Watt, we don’t just imagine a better future. We shape it.

Since 1821, Heriot-Watt's innovative education model and pioneering research has enabled us to make global, positive impact by creating and sharing solutions with society. The Shaping Futures campaign is expanding and deepening this legacy.

Together, during our bicentennial celebration season, the work of our staff, the support of our alumni community, and our partnerships with industry and friends have already achieved over £350 million of investment into the research and education opportunities forming our Shaping Futures campaign.

From this sure foundation, we are propelled forward into the next season of ambition, as we aim to raise £80 million to build on our distinct strengths and areas of expertise: empowering through education initiatives, driving global sustainability imperatives, transforming healthcare technologies, and innovating with business and industry.

With your help, we will become an even more dynamic force for positive change and a powerful driver of meaningful global impact.

It's time to shape a brighter, more inclusive, and prosperous world.

Together, we will shape the future.

Learn more about our campaign priorities below.

Make your impact here

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Campaign Global Council

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Learn more about Heriot-Watt’s Strategy 2025

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It Happens Here

King Charles III and Professor Richard A Williams

Queen's Anniversary Prize

Heriot-Watt has been awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes 4 times: 2021, 2019, 2015, 1994

Panel of speakers sitting around table with microphone

Most CEOs

Novuna Business Cash Flow 2023 named Heriot-Watt as having more CEOs than any other learning institution in Scotland

Graduates in gowns holding degrees and smiling

Highest Graduate Employability

In the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023, we are 1st in Scotland and 4th in the UK for graduate employability

QS World University Rankings Top 250 in the World

QS World University Rankings

Heriot-Watt was 32nd in the UK and 256th in the world on the QS World University Rankings 2025

Heriot-Watt University Malaysia Campus building

5-Star Accreditation

Heriot-Watt's Dubai Campus has a KHDA 5-Star Accreditation

Heriot-Watt University Malaysia employees holding up fingers to make a letter 'W'

Employer’s Preferred University Award

Heriot-Watt's Malaysia Campus is the Talent Bank 2022 Employer's Preferred University

Graduate outcomes survey

Positive Graduate Outcomes

Over 89% of our graduates are in employment or further education 15 months after graduation, as per Graduate Outcomes 2023

egis--civil-structural-engineering

World-leading Research Output

The Research Excellent Framework 2021 determined that over 85% of our research outputs are assessed as world-leading and internationally excellent