University Welcomes 21 Global Fellows

The University of St Andrews has announced 21 new participants in its Global Fellowship Scheme for the 2025–26 academic year. 

Now entering its seventh year, the initiative continues to strengthen St Andrews’ reputation as an international centre for academic collaboration and innovation. Since its creation in 2019, the Global Fellowship Scheme has hosted more than 90 visiting academics from across six continents. The programme enables researchers, educators, and senior scholars from around the world to spend time in St Andrews, working with the University’s Schools on shared research projects, teaching initiatives, and curriculum innovation.

The 2025-26 Fellows come from a wide range of countries, including Burkina Faso, Japan, Norway, and Vietnam, and equally represent disciplines spanning neuroscience and chemistry to history, experimental petrology, and cyber defence. 

Each Fellow is nominated by an academic School at St Andrews and invited to join the University community for a period of research and engagement. The scheme is divided into three pathways, each designed to attract a different level of academic experience. 

The Global Fellowship recognises international academics who are emerging leaders or significant contributors in their fields. The Senior Global Fellowship is reserved for established scholars with an international profile and a substantial record of research achievements and leadership. The Global Fellowship of Education focuses on leading practitioners and researchers in teaching and pedagogy who have demonstrated innovation in student learning and educational reform.

Vice-Principal of Research, Collections, and Innovation, Professor Tom Brown, said that the new cohort reflects the University’s ongoing commitment to building a global research environment. He noted that this year’s cohort “will enrich our community with their diverse perspectives and expertise, and we look forward to building lasting friendships and collaborative partnerships with them.” 

Professor Claire Peddie, Vice-Principal Education (Proctor), emphasised the programme’s importance in supporting teaching innovation. She explained that the Global Fellowship of Education encourages the exchange of pedagogical approaches and helps to build international networks focused on educational development, “expediating the professionalism of educational excellence and developing international networks.” 

Among the 2025-26 cohort are Professor Dame Fiona Murray from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Professor Dan-el Padilla Peralta of Princeton University, and Professor Sarah Fraser from Heidelberg University, alongside early and mid-career researchers such as Dr Maria Aimaretti from the University of Buenos Aires and Dr Edwige Some from both the University Centre of Kaya and the University Joseph Ki-Zerbo in Burkina Faso. 

Each Fellow will be hosted by a specific School within the University, ensuring that their expertise directly supports research priorities and teaching initiatives.

While St Andrews has long been known for its international student population, the Global Fellowship Scheme highlights a different dimension of its global character: a deliberate effort to embed international scholarship within its academic and research infrastructure. 

The presence of Fellows from such a wide range of backgrounds not only broadens the intellectual environment in the town but also supports the University’s strategic goal of creating a globally connected academic community. The 2025-26 Global Fellows will join colleagues across disciplines in exploring research questions that cross national and disciplinary boundaries, contributing to the University’s long-standing reputation for academic excellence and collaboration.

Image provided by the University of St Andrews