{"id":30,"date":"2026-02-16T09:44:51","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T09:44:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/?p=30"},"modified":"2026-02-16T09:44:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T09:44:51","slug":"happy-year-of-the-horse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/2026\/02\/16\/happy-year-of-the-horse\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy Year of the Horse"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n

As we mark Lunar New Year 2026, we would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the richness, diversity, and global perspectives that our international colleagues bring to the University of Bath every day. Lunar New Year is observed by millions of people around the world and is an important cultural celebration across many East and Southeast Asian communities. While traditions vary across countries and regions, the celebration commonly symbolises renewal, hope, family unity, gratitude, and the welcoming of prosperity and good fortune for the year ahead.<\/p>\n

Occasions such as Lunar New Year remind us of the importance of recognising and valuing the cultural traditions that shape our global community. At the University of Bath, we are proud to be part of a diverse and inclusive environment that embraces different backgrounds, languages, beliefs, and lived experiences. By acknowledging and celebrating significant cultural events, we strengthen our shared understanding and foster a sense of belonging for colleagues from all parts of the world.<\/p>\n

For some members of our community, this may be a time spent celebrating with family and friends. For others, particularly those who have recently relocated to the UK, it may feel different being away from home during an important cultural festival. We want to acknowledge this and reaffirm our commitment to building an inclusive, supportive community where everyone feels seen, valued, and connected.
\nFor colleagues who are new to Bath and to the UK, we would like to highlight the International Mentorship Scheme offered by the International Staff Network in collaboration with the Culture & Inclusion Team. This year marked the first time we introduced this scheme, and we have been delighted by the positive engagement and feedback from participants. The initiative offers pastoral support and a friendly point of connection for international staff as they settle into life and work in a new country and institution. The scheme is designed to support new colleagues with both the practical and personal aspects of transition, from navigating local systems to building confidence and community.<\/p>\n

Although the scheme is now closed for the current academic year, we very much hope to be able to offer it again next academic year. Should the scheme be approved to run next year, we will be sure to let you know and share further details about how to get involved. In the meantime, you can find out more information about the scheme here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Creating an inclusive community is an ongoing effort, and we are grateful to all colleagues who contribute to making the University a welcoming place for people from around the world. Through shared celebrations, open dialogue, and mutual respect, we continue to learn from one another and strengthen the global outlook that defines our institution.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, we are also pleased to share that the International Staff Network will be hosting an event on 1 April to celebrate spring and Easter. This will be another opportunity to come together, share traditions, and build connections across our diverse community. Further details will follow shortly, and we hope many of you will be able to join us, please do mark your calendars.<\/p>\n

Wherever and however you are celebrating Lunar New Year, we wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and prosperous year ahead.<\/p>\n

Best wishes,
\nISN Co-Chairs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear colleagues, As we mark Lunar New Year 2026, we would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the richness, diversity, and global perspectives that our international colleagues bring to the University of Bath every day. Lunar New Year is...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2005,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2005"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/international-staff-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}