Last week, over twenty UK ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Grantees met each other for the first time, ahead of an exchange that will take them across the Atlantic to pursue research, teaching and study at some of America's leading institutions. In just a few days, a room of individual ambitions became a shared journey.
Orientation: A cohort takes shape
On Thursday 16 and Friday 17 July, UK Grantees from the 2026-27 cohort gathered for UK Orientation, meeting one another for the first time ahead of their departures to the U.S. Over two days, they explored ideas around cross-cultural exchange, shared early thinking on the projects they'll be pursuing, and got a first taste of the network they're now part of, helped along by an alumni panel offering honest, hard-won advice from those who've already made the journey.
For many, the days confirmed what drew them to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ in the first place. Physician and public health researcher Riya Gosrani, heading to Harvard on the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½-Sir Cyril Taylor Memorial Award for Changemakers, said meeting her cohort left her "humbled and motivated," surrounded by "talented, accomplished, and passionate individuals."
Historian Katherine Burns, bound for the University of Pennsylvania, reflected on cultural exchange from lived experience, noting she's "a huge advocate" having previously studied in the U.S., France and Germany. Anthropologist George Smith, heading to the University of South Florida, described cultural exchange as "vital for fostering good relations between people, communities, and nations."
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Summer reception: The wider ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ family gathers
That spirit carried into Thursday evening, when the wider ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ family filled the Royal Society in London for the annual Summer Reception, raising a glass together to mark the start of a new academic year of exchange. UK Grantees were joined by US Grantees currently based in the UK, UKSI participants, Sutton Trust ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ students, alumni, ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ers and supporters.
Guests heard reflections from Dr Faye Taylor, ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½er and Deputy Director for International Strategy & Partnerships at the Department for Education, and Rowena Boddington, Interim Director of the US-UK ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, on the trust, partnership and enduring relationships that ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ makes possible.
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A season of announcements
These two days cap off a busy few months for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, with new grantees announced across the Distinguished Awards in Teaching Programme for International Teachers, UK Postgraduate, UK Scholar, US Postgraduate and US Scholar Awards, each bringing fresh talent and ambition into the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ community. And there's more to come, with further award announcements planned later in the year.
The momentum doesn't stop here. The UK Scholar Awards have just opened, alongside the US Scholar Awards and US Postgraduate Awards, which are open now for applications.
Physicist Chris Woodgate, off to Northeastern University, put it simply: in an increasingly polarised world, cultural exchange "is more important now than ever before."
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One community, many milestones
Together, these milestones offer a glimpse of what makes ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ distinctive: a global community built one exchange, one conversation, one cohort at a time.
Whether you're an alum looking to reconnect, a supporter considering how to get involved, or thinking about applying yourself, there's a place for you in this story.
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