The Hillary Rodham Clinton Research Programme will see joint PhDs for students from Swansea and the United States. Swansea University vice-chancellor, Professor Richard B. Davies, recently met with his counterparts at Columbia to discuss the partnership.
“Swansea University’s broadening academic partnership with the extremely prestigious Columbia University signals our growing stature and reputation on the world stage and is the latest in a series of partnerships with global leaders of HE and business.”
“Our academics are delivering world-leading research and we are increasingly being recognised as punching well above our weight on a global stage.”
Established in 1754, Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university, based in Upper Manhattan, New York City. Known for producing numerous distinguished graduates, it is the third most selective University in the US – with an undergraduate acceptance rate of 5.5%.
Potential areas for research collaboration between the Universities include genetics and neurological diseases, cyber-terrorism, and research on universities as ‘engines of change’.
The program will be based at the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, based on Singleton Campus. Clinton received an honorary doctorate from Swansea University when she visited the city in 2017.
The joint PhD program is supported by the Welsh Government, having been announced by the First Minister at the time, Carwyn Jones.
Cabinet secretary Kirsty Williams was present at the meeting in New York.
“This is a historic moment for Swansea University and marks the latest in a number of flourishing international partnerships with universities across the world,” she said.
Swansea University already has exchange agreements with 150 universities in 29 different countries, including wide-ranging strategic partnerships with Université Joseph Fourier in Grenoble, and numerous universities in Texas including the University of Houston and Texas A&M University.
Speaking of the latest partnership, Williams added that the collaboration will allow the university to “build on its reputation for excellence and extend its work in a number of fascinating and highly important fields of research”.
“I look forward to seeing the results of this partnership and hope it will open new doors for both Swansea University and Wales,” she concluded.
Sian Impey, head of the International Development Office at Swansea University, said that the university aims to offer every student the opportunity to study or work abroad during the course of their degree.
“This is enabled by our numerous international partnerships which span the globe,” she added.
by Polly Manning
