WICID are delighted to be announcing the successful applicants for The Turing Global South Mobility Scheme, which offers placements in the global south to undergraduate or postgraduate students at the University of Warwick whose work is focused on research, learning, and exchange in these countries.

Turing Global South Mobility Scheme

The Turing Scheme Link opens in a new windowis a UK Government competitive grant funding scheme that provides grants to organisations to fund individuals undertaking education and training in the UK, to go on study or work placements across the world. The purpose of the scheme is to offer mobility opportunities to UK students which enhance their skills and reinforce their learning through:

• Collaborating with researchers outside of the United Kingdom.
• Participating in intellectual exchange with researchers in host institutions.
• Developing new perspectives for their work, based on this exchange.

Students have committed to a placement of one month with the host organisation and will undertake a piece of contained research which is either related to their dissertation and/or of relevance for the host institution. It will be the student’s responsibility to organise travel, visas, insurance, vaccinations, and accommodation.

What the scheme means for our students

Renuka BhatLink opens in a new window is studying for a MA International Political Economy with Public Policy at the University of Warwick. Renuka’s interest is in post-colonial research as well as the unique development challenges posed to newly emancipated countries. She is particularly interested in learning about the parallels (as well as differences) in the colonial experience and how it has influenced the policy paradigm in South Africa. On her successful application Renuka says “I am thrilled to be working with Wits School of Governance and hope to get a better insight into development policies of the Global South!”

Two Warwick students are travelling to the Swiss Centre for Scientific Research in Côte d’Ivoire. Ben RobertsLink opens in a new window, undergraduate student in Politics, International Studies, and Quantitative Methods, is particularly interested in assisting with the work of the Governance, Society and Economic Development (GSDE) research group in highlighting the role of social sciences in discussions of sustainable development following on from previous work he has undertaken using the lens of place to examine environmental policy. Ben tells us “I'm excited to begin my placement with the CSRS in the summer. I hope this will provide a fantastic opportunity to develop the skills I have learnt through my PAIS degree and also a chance for cultural exchange.”

Heading off to India and Jawarhar Lal Nehru University, New Delhi is Mihaela Siritanu, Master’s student in Public Policy. Mihaela told WICID she is very interested in the EU’s governance and foreign relations with its strategic partners and plans to use her placement to enrich her perspective of the relationships between India and the EU in the context of a multi-layered global governance system. For Mihaela, The Turing Global South Mobility Scheme is a once in a lifetime opportunity to expand my knowledge, network and build connections with people from different sectors and diverse backgrounds. I am looking forward to getting a better insight into the cultural and governance norms of India, its cooperative enterprise models and sustainable development efforts.”

We will be working closely with our students and their hosts, so watch this space for more news on their activities and outputs!