University of Glasgow Connect

Meet Professor Moyra Boland, our Dean for Global Engagement in Eurasia and South Asia

Moyra highlights the strategic partnership between the University of Glasgow, the world of business and the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research as an example of successful international collaboration, and she invites Glasgow’s other partners from the region to get in touch to explore further opportunities for collaboration.

How our working life has changed over the past six months, from what was, and still is an extremely serious international health crisis, has grown a new way of engaging and curating partnerships across the globe. Sitting in our own homes many of us have connected virtually in a way we had only talked about years previously. Here at Glasgow, we have been evolving our practice to optimise the opportunities afforded by technology while retaining the centrality of collegiality and sustainability.

An example of a new way of engaging was hosting the webinar Global Perspectives of Taking Higher Education Online, which focused on online learning, to gain insight from academics and students across three different countries and institutions. Joining us were the University of Sydney and the Indian Institution of Science and Education in Pune, one of the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research. During the webinar a lecturer and student from each institution explored the experience of online learning. The lecturers talked about the process and challenges of delivering the Higher Education curriculum online and the students talked about their experience of online learning, with time at the end for reflection and questions. It was an informative and exciting event, hearing how Higher Education has shifted towards online learning across the globe, and it attracted a large number of academics, businesses and partners from around the world.

As a member of the UK India Business Council we were invited to take part in a virtual showcase in partnership with the UK Department for Trade and Industry. The UK is the second largest market for Indian Tech Investors and consequently they are very keen to grow their digital businesses across the UK. The showcase was for leading UK Universities focusing on digital skills such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, robotics and machine learning. It was a fantastic opportunity to work with major companies from India and discuss virtual internships, placements for students, and the graduate attributes needed to be part of today’s workforce.

We have consciously and deliberately created spaces for humanity, for laughter and joy as well as intellectual endeavour, joint research and business engagement. Whatever our future holds we are determined to retain this balance with all our partners.