Sandison, deputy vice-chancellor (exterior engagement) and vice-principal (exterior relations) on the College of Glasgow has been appointed the Scottish authorities’s commerce and funding envoy for worldwide schooling.
As a part of her new remit, Sandison will work to advertise Scotland’s educational establishments and analysis experience and draw on her worldwide connections to bridge universities with different international establishments to draw extra college students and employees to reside, work and examine in Scotland.
“I look ahead to working with the Scottish authorities alongside colleagues throughout the additional and better schooling sector in Scotland to assist the event and supply of the following iteration of Scotland’s Worldwide Training Technique,” Sandison advised The PIE Information.
In 2024, the Scottish authorities unveiled its first complete Worldwide Training Technique, promising plans to draw extra employees and exercise to advertise universities and faculties internationally.
Sandison additionally defined that guaranteeing the wants of Scotland are represented within the UK’s Worldwide Training Technique shall be a major goal for her.
“I look ahead to participating with the UK’s worldwide schooling champion, Sir Steve Smith, to advocate for insurance policies that assist the sector to flourish,” she mentioned.
Elsewhere, Sandison shall be trying to additional advance the Vacation spot Scotland model belongings to assist collective stakeholder engagement and assist join establishments with transnational schooling and worldwide partnership alternatives, championing the sector each at residence and abroad.
“Because of the altering exterior panorama, it is a difficult time for the upper schooling sector as a complete, however there stay a lot of key alternatives that I wish to guarantee Scotland is finest positioned to capitalise on,” mentioned Sandison.
It is a difficult time for the upper schooling sector as a complete, however there stay a lot of key alternatives that I wish to guarantee Scotland is finest positioned to capitalise on
Rachel Sandison, College of Glasgow
Current IDP information shared with Scottish universities in the course of the 2025 Scottish Universities Worldwide Group convention confirmed important year-on-year declines in pupil numbers from key markets, with stakeholders inspired to take “collective motion” to advertise the examine vacation spot as each headwinds and tailwinds proceed to form the way forward for worldwide recruitment.
Sandison’s appointment may also see her assist determine alternatives for inward funding in Scotland’s greater and additional schooling sectors, boosting the nation’s educational and analysis capabilities.
Sandison takes up her place alongside eight different commerce and funding envoys. The position succeeds the envoy for worldwide greater schooling, a put up held by Wendy Alexander from 2017 to 2025. Alexander now serves as vice-chair of the British Council and was previously vice-principal (worldwide) on the College of Dundee.
The announcement was made by Richard Lochhead MSP, minister for enterprise forward of a go to to the UK-China Low-Carbon Faculty in Shanghai, which is a joint initiative between Edinburgh and Shanghai Jiao Tong universities, searching for progressive options to local weather points.
Lochhead commented: “Scotland’s analysis and educational excellence is recognised the world over, with progressive contributions being made to deal with extreme international challenges.
“We wish to assist this work whereas maximising the social and financial advantages of worldwide schooling. Attracting college students from internationally presents actual long-term advantages throughout many sectors, resembling tourism, tradition, greater and additional schooling,” he mentioned.
“This appointment, coupled with our Worldwide Training Technique, will assist us seize these alternatives and I wholeheartedly welcome Rachel to her position.”
Sandison emphasised that Scotland is already a vacation spot of selection for international expertise, with world-class universities and a longstanding fame for analysis excellence.
“Worldwide college students make up 1 / 4 of our whole pupil inhabitants and roughly 40% of our educational employees come from exterior of the UK,” she defined.
“The Scottish schooling sector has a historical past of each custom and innovation. We steadiness a top quality studying, instructing and analysis setting with one that’s open, pleasant and welcoming. We recognise the massive contribution worldwide college students and colleagues make to our campuses and wider communities and we’re dedicated to supporting their educational and profession journey.”
In 2024, the Scottish authorities launched ‘Scotland’s Migration Service‘, which seeks to supply further steerage and recommendation for worldwide college students wishing to stay within the nation to work post-graduation and to employers who wish to recruit international expertise.
“Along with the variety of the packages and establishments on provide, Scotland additionally blends vibrant, multicultural cities with a few of the most stunning countryside on the planet,” mentioned Sandison.
“As our most current marketing campaign extolled, Scotland is for the pinnacle, the center and the spirit.”
