The Global Chair scheme is the International Relations Office’s flagship funding scheme that sets out to strengthen existing research partnerships with internationally renowned experts in both academia and industry. Our 2023/24 cohort consists of four Global Chairs that the International Relations Office has had the pleasure of welcoming to campus since coming into post in September 2023.
The first of these visits was made by Professor Francesca Aweeka in November 2023. Hosted by Professor Richard Guy in the Department of Life Sciences, Professor Aweekas’ research is in the field of infectious diseases. Professor Aweeka spent three weeks in Bath and, during her time here, held meetings with academics and researchers from across the Department of Life Sciences and the Milner Centre for Evolution to identify mechanisms for the exchange of cutting-edge skills and technologies between her home institution, the University of California at San Francisco, and the University of Bath. Alongside this, Professor Aweeka and Professor Guy explored mentor opportunities for students and early-career researchers in the areas of infectious diseases and “Inquiry Instruction".
Professor Dennis Broeders (University of Leiden) was the second of our 2023/24 Global Chairs to visit in November 2023, jointly hosted by Dr Andre Barrinha in the Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies and Professor Adam Joinson in the School of Management. An expert in the field of cyber governance and security, Professor Broeders participated in a lively roundtable event at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution alongside leading UK and international commentators in the cyber security and diplomacy space. Whilst on campus, Professor Broeders met with members of the Institute of Policy Research and Faculty Executive and hosted a PhD workshop. Watch now - Professor Broeders roundtable discussion Cyber Diplomacy in a Geopolitical Age
Professor Nicholas Kotov (University of Michigan) visited Bath in December 2023 and was hosted by Professor Ventsi Valev in the Department of Physics. Professor Kotov is a pioneering academic in the cross-disciplinary studies of inorganic nanomaterials and, whilst at Bath, met with academics and researchers from the Physics, Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering departments, established mentoring opportunities for PGR students in the Department of Physics and presented a public lecture titled Taming Disorder with Chirality.
Our fourth Global Chair to visit was world-renowned academic expert of global and Northeast Asian regional security affairs, Professor Jong Kun Choi (Yonsei University). Hosted by Professor Timo Kivimäki in the Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies (PoLIS) in January 2024, Professor Choi held meetings in Bath, London and Cambridge during his first visit as Global Chair. These included a meeting with South Korean officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, a closed seminar at InterMediate hosted by former Downing Street Chief of Staff and advisor Jonathon Powell, and a dissertation session with PGR students from PoLIS. Professor Choi also held a public lecture on the Power of Peace on the Korean Pennisula and talked about his experience as 1st Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs under the Moon Jae-In administration.
All four Global Chairs will be making further visits to Bath in the coming months. If you are interested in the possibility of meeting one of the Global Chairs during their next visits please do get in touch with the International Partnerships team.
The 2024/25 Global Chair scheme call is currently open to applications. Eligibility criteria and information on how to apply can be found on the Global Chair call webpage. For this call, two Global Chairs will be selected for a term of two years, with funding of up to £10,000 per year available for each Global Chair. The deadline for applications to the IRO is Friday 8th March.
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