Santander partnership paves the way for nearly £200,000 worth of scholarships for Plymouth University

Students and staff at Plymouth University will be able to apply for nearly £200,000 worth of scholarships over the course of the next three years thanks to a partnership with the banking group Santander.

The scholarships will be used to promote study and research opportunities that meet criteria within the three categories of internationalisation, employability and the student experience.

More than £50,000 will be available each year to undergraduates, postgraduates and staff for research in the UK and overseas; language exchange programmes; seed corn funding for strategic sectors such as ocean renewable energy projects; and initiatives to promote volunteering and the development of employability skills.

Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice-Chancellor of Plymouth University, said: “Our partnership with Santander is very exciting and marks us as a leading global University. We are delighted that Santander will provide a range of scholarships that support students and staff looking to secure international links to pursue world class research and develop their career interests.

“These scholarships are in addition to the £8.5 million we spend on helping students come to our University and support them during their time with us. We want talent irrespective of social background to be able to express itself at Plymouth University.”

The partnership will see Plymouth join the philanthropic Santander Universities network, which now incorporates nearly 1,000 institutions across South and Central America, China, Russia, the United States, Spain and Portugal.

Emma Lloyd, Universities Liaison Officer, said: “At Santander, we have been supporting universities for over 15 years, and there are now 970 universities worldwide, with 50 in the UK, who are part of the Santander Universities network.

“Plymouth University joined earlier this year and students and staff are already benefiting from the funding we provide.”