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"The award I received from SIET came at a pivotal moment in my conducting career... the opportunity to observe first hand possibly the most celebrated and respected conductor of his generation, was to be a profound learning experience and springboard for my development, not only as a musician but as a human being."
Cecilia Weston
Conductor & Educator
"The award has been, for me personally, much more than just financial help. It was a really huge confidence boost to know that someone believed in me."
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Carolyn Edmondson, SIET awardee 2023.
Creating Transformative Journeys
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International experiences shape lives. For Scots with the potential to be at their very top of their chosen profession, global education in all its forms enables them to learn from the best, develop their craft, and push themselves to excel. At SIET, our alumni often tell us that their time abroad was a catalyst for their future success.
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We also know that global experiences prepare people for a changing workplace and for our connected world. Evidence shows, for example, that higher education students who undertake a period of study abroad are more likely to find employment one year after graduation.
International experiences also give people the opportunity to see a new country from the inside, and exchange ideas with people from other cultures. Some 93% of students who have studied overseas say they have a greater appreciation of other cultures as a result, and 91% say they have improved their language skills.
Through global travel connected to their career, a new generation of Scots will be better able understand the world in which they live, so they can change it for the better.
Our Opportunity
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We know from long experience the extraordinary effect that a SIET award can make. Not just in terms of financial assistance but the boost to the confidence, enthusiasm and self-esteem that goes along with it. But our funds are limited.
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Rewarding global experiences should be open to all exceptional Scots, regardless of their ability to pay. Yet students across the UK continue to be hit by an ongoing cost-of-living crisis. The financial challenges facing higher education also mean some universities can no longer afford to offer international experiences to their students. Brexit has similarly affected the breadth and depth of global learning opportunities available to the current generation of young people. This, combined with the high cost of graduate degrees, means that many talented Scots miss out on potentially transformational overseas experiences.
Our Challenge
“Students from less advantaged backgrounds that go abroad tend to get better degrees and better jobs – and yet while they stand to gain the most from this experience these students are underrepresented in mobility.”
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Universities UK, Social Inclusion and Engagement in Mobility, 2021
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We are proud and delighted to have supported thousands of people at crucial points in their journeys, who are now using their skills and talents for the benefit of Scotland and the wider world. Last year, we made 16 awards totalling over £43,000 to support postgraduate students studying history, the visual arts, music, design, science, the law, medicine and the caring professions. Successful applicants have one thing in common: a burning desire to use their talents to better themselves and contribute to society, both at home and on the international stage.
Those who walked over the bridge SIET provides in earlier years went on to become musicians enthralling audiences across the globe; world-renowned biologists making major contributions to animal conservation; distinguished lawyers protecting and promoting human rights, researchers working at the cutting edge of their disciplines, entrepreneurs and innovators creating wealth and opportunities, and educators sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with new generations
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Notable SIET fellows include: Tom Harrold, an outstanding Scottish composer; Amy McKinnon, a well-respected political journalist in the US; successful comedian, Eleanor Morton; Mark Blyth, the renowned political scientist; Jujhar Dhanda, a distinguished lawyer; Carol McLeod, who is working at the forefront of forensic science; and Cecilia Weston, an internationally acclaimed conductor and educator.
Our Impact
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Throughout history, large numbers of Scots have travelled overseas, to learn from the world, search for opportunities, and build lives. Today, we are seeking support to continue this tradition for a new generation. If you share our belief in the power of international experiences to shape the lives of exceptional Scots, we would be delighted to talk with you.
The pioneers who established SIET - the likes of Sean Connery and Jackie Stewart - have allowed us to help thousands of young Scots (and a few not so young) to reach out to new opportunities, expand their horizons, transform their own lives and enrich the lives of those around them. We are hugely grateful for the foundation they, and many other donors over the last half a century, have provided.
SIET celebrated its fiftieth anniversary just a few years ago and we are now seeking new partners to help embed and extend our work into the next half century. We know that SIET awardees have shown themselves willing to step up, tackle the biggest challenges, and play their part in forging the future. We also know that with the continuing support of our donors, they will continue to do so.