Chevening Scholars gather at Warwick to reimagine Higher Education’s role in combating Climate Change
On 21st May The University of Warwick hosted a Chevening Ideas Connect multidisciplinary panel session which brought together over 50 Chevening scholars from across the UK to discuss the roles and responsibilities of universities in the climate crisis.
Warwick had the pleasure of hosting Andrew Chadwick, Director of the Chevening Secretariat, and Suraj Darbar, Programme Officer UK, on campus for the event. Speaking on the panel were Dr Rachel HandLink opens in a new window, MRSC, Assistant Professor, Chemistry, Grace KamangaLink opens in a new window, PhD student, Institute of Global Sustainable Development, Dr Raquel Nunes, Assistant Professor, Warwick Medical School, Dr Mitya PearsonLink opens in a new window, Assistant Professor, Politics and International Studies and Dr Hita UnnikrishnanLink opens in a new window, Assistant Professor, Institute for Global Sustainable Development. Closing remarks were given by Lee GriffinLink opens in a new window, Academic Director Postgraduate Taught & Associate Professor, WMG
The panel was chaired by Professor Stéphanie Panichelli-BatallaLink opens in a new window, Academic Director for Sustainability at the University of Warwick, who began by emphasizing that climate change is a global challenge requiring collective action. This sentiment was echoed throughout the panel discussion.
When asked about the role that Universities could play, Dr Raquel NunesLink opens in a new window, Assistant Professor, Warwick Medical School said;
First and foremost, it's crucial to offer educational programs at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels that allow students to examine climate change through diverse lenses—contextual, disciplinary, and methodological.
Equally important is fostering collaborative research that unites scholars from various fields to drive both inquiry and practical solutions.
Universities also play a vital role in community engagement, leveraging their position within local contexts to support surrounding communities through knowledge, research, and education.
Ultimately, the goal is to translate this collective understanding into real-world actions that improve lives—both for individuals and their broader communities.
Grace KamangaLink opens in a new window, PhD student, Institute of Global Sustainable Development contributed a crucial perspective to the panel when asked about how they perceived the role of universities to empower students;
The University of Warwick has supported my empirical research on eco-tourism in Malawi, helping to break down traditional disciplinary boundaries. Addressing complex issues like climate change doesn’t require solutions from a single field—it demands interdisciplinary approaches. Universities have the capacity to foster such collaboration by embedding interdisciplinary research into the student curriculum and offering incentives for cross-disciplinary work. From my own experience as a student, I believe it’s essential for universities to genuinely value the perspectives of students from the Global South. These voices bring critical contextual insights that can deepen our understanding. Ultimately, students should be seen not just as learners, but as leaders and co-creators of knowledge.
Chevening Scholarships enable outstanding emerging leaders from all over the world to pursue one-year master’s degrees in the UK. The University of Warwick is delighted to have welcomed 30 Cheveners to our University this year. Our new scholars come from 22 different countries spread from Uruguay in the west to Fiji in the east. Their academic interests are varied with the scholars enrolled in 10 academic departments.
Speaking at the event Khoo Yi Feng, Chevening Scholar, University of Warwick said "I didn’t anticipate leaving with a sense of optimism—but I did. Institutions like Warwick are leading the way in sustainability by integrating it into education, fostering interdisciplinary research, and partnering with industry. As we envision our climate future, we need more than just innovation—we need imagination, inclusivity, boldness, and strong leadership in sustainability.
Amr Ramadan, Chevening Scholar, Education and International Development, UCL remarked I believe that addressing climate change requires people coming together in solidarity. Events like this are vital steps toward building that collective momentum. At this event I was truly inspired to connect with others who share similar values and are passionate about developing innovative, impactful solutions. It’s incredibly important to create opportunities like this where collaboration and shared purpose can thrive.
As the event drew to a close, Lee GriffinLink opens in a new window, Academic Director Postgraduate Taught & Associate Professor, WMG spoke to the Chevening Scholars Our role in Higher Education is to support and empower the leaders of tomorrow. It's not about shaping you, butrather equipping you with the tools to understand yourselves—how you think, how you work, and what you aspire to achieve. You are the future, and I have unwavering confidence in your ability to tackle the climate crisis. You have what it takes.
Right here in this room, we have voices from 48 countries and 34 UK institutions. The theme we've chosen is collaboration—so just imagine the possibilities when all of that knowledge, passion, and diversity come together.