We are delighted to announce that the University of Exeter is joining the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN). We welcome President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lisa Roberts, and her colleagues to the WUN Board, research teams, and programs.
The University of Exeter (founded in 1851) is a leading member of the UK’s elite Russell Group of universities. The University is particularly focused on delivering a greener, healthier and fairer world. As a world-leader in sustainable development and the SDGs, Exeter’s strong intellectual and policy synergy with WUN’s strategic direction and fellow members will be a great benefit to the network.
At the core of the university’s research distinction are five notable research institutes: the Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence; Environment and Sustainability Institute; Global Systems Institute; Living Systems Institute; and the Societies and Cultures Institute. Exeter also has several leading interdisciplinary research centres that work closely with private and public sector organisations to deliver impact. These include the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste; Joint Centre for Excellence in Environmental Intelligence; MRC Centre for Medical Mycology; NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre; and the Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health.
The University is a global leader in delivering transformative education. It was one of four UK Russell Group universities to be awarded triple gold by the UK’s Teaching Excellence Framework (2023). It has over 30,000 students from 130 countries and provides its academic community of staff, students and visiting researchers with a truly global experience and a diverse, inclusive environment. Exeter was awarded NEON’s Higher Education of the Year Award (2023) for its work to improve student access, diversity, and inclusion. The university’s strategic partnerships across the world bring together leading academics and the resources of outstanding universities to deliver transformative impact in key global challenges such as global sustainability and wellbeing.
President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lisa Roberts said, “We are delighted to have been invited to join the Worldwide Universities Network. The challenges the world faces can only be met by global partnership to push forward research and scholarship. The WUN brings together leading institutions from six continents, and I have no doubt that Exeter’s membership will serve to strengthen the impact of our research and increase our global reach in those areas where we have shared priorities, including, social justice, sustainability, energy transitions, water and food security, mental health, child and maternal health, ageing and the responsible and ethical use of AI. I hope that we can also contribute our expertise to the network and forge supportive relationships with our fellow members around the world.”
WUN Executive Director Peter Lennie added, “The University of Exeter brings distinctive strengths to the network, complementing those of existing members, and enlarging the opportunities for collaboration on the major research challenges that WUN is so well-placed to address. On behalf of WUN I’m delighted to welcome the university to the network.”
