‘We are one world’: Prof Michael Scott reflects on Warwick’s global future

The University’s ‘One World Warwick’ programme returned last month for its sophomore outing, after launching in November 2024 as a showcase of Warwick’s commitment to a global future.  

Prof Michael Scott, the University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) opened the celebration’s flagship event, the Global Illuminations Procession, on 19 November together with the Chancellor, Bience Gawanas, who emphasised in her speech the significance of connecting across cultures in times of political strife.

The Boar spoke to Prof Scott earlier in the evening about what the phrase ‘One World Warwick’ really means and what its future holds.  

“One World Warwick runs through the whole of November, and is intended to be a celebration of our global community”, Prof Scott said – “of our impact, our connections, and our opportunities. And it was something we brought about just a year ago.”  

We are an extraordinary cosmopolitan global mix here on campus, and I don’t think we take enough time to actually just celebrate that

Prof Michael Scott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), University of Warwick

Around 40% of Warwick’s student and staff population come from abroad, Scott noted, citing the 145 countries of origin which make up that figure. 

“We are an extraordinary cosmopolitan global mix here on campus, and I don’t think we take enough time to actually just celebrate that. We kind of take it for granted, and it’s an incredibly privileged thing to be part of. 

“So, what I wanted was something that could allow us to celebrate our own cultures, but also give us a moment to remind ourselves to learn from one another. And that’s where One World Warwick was born. November and March each year are the key months that we focus the whole of the institution’s ideas around that international lens.” 

The Global Illuminations Procession in November marked the high point of Warwick’s 60th anniversary celebrations. Image: Georgia Carwardine / The Boar

One World Warwick 2025, however, comes at a time when international students across the UK face mounting uncertainties.  

International students face the prospect of a £925 levy on tuition fees under this government, which intends to use the funds to pay for new maintenance grants for domestic students from disadvantaged backgrounds.  

[Overseas students are] coming here against a background of a certain level of international and global dialogue about what the UK is as a welcoming place to study

Prof Michael Scott

The Boar has already reported how projections indicate that UK international student enrolments could decrease by over 77,000 over five years as a result of the levy, while the availability of domestic places could fall by around 135,000 to make up for the drop in international student revenue.  

On 25 November, Warwick SU President Alijah Taha penned a letter to Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, urging a reconsideration of the policy. The letter has since accumulated 65 signatures.

While not explicitly referring to this developing story, Scott gestured towards Warwick’s approach to safeguarding international students in the coming years. 

“[Overseas students are] coming here against a background of a certain level of international and global dialogue about what the UK is as a welcoming place to study, and we want them to know that when they come to Warwick, they are welcomed, and that their needs in terms of that on-ramp, for example in terms of financial support to be able to make the most of the opportunities while they’re here, are recognised. 

“One of Warwick’s values as a university is we thrive on difference. So it’s not simply saying we’re one community. We are one world. We’re made up of many different strands, and recognizing that difference, but then creating the connections across those differences is absolutely fundamental.”  

Image: Nikolai Morton / The Boar

Over the past few years, Prof Scott reflected, the University has “significantly increased” its international student welcome package of events and support, citing the celebrations of Chinese New Year and Diwali as examples, alongside even the Day of the Dead. 

“A lot of these are co-ordinated through the Student Experience team and Together at Warwick, so it really is a pan-University effort to make sure that students are looked after.” 

Warwick’s 60th anniversary, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor said […] has granted an excuse to go all-out this year in terms of celebrations

As the high point of One World Warwick, November also saw celebrations at the University’s Venice Centre, the temporary home of one of this paper’s Editors-in-Chief, as well as at several of the University’s international partners around the world. 

Warwick’s 60th anniversary, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor said, which was among the impetuses for the University’s much-publicised rebranding over the summer, has granted an excuse to go all-out this year in terms of celebrations. 

Several Warwick alumni who spoke to The Boar at the recent anniversary reunion reminisced on the cultural outreach programmes which defined their university chapters. 

“40% of our alumni live overseas, and actually, when you talk to them, it’s clear that at Warwick, over the past 60 years, there have been moments where the ‘One World’ theme has actually been really important to them.  

“And a number of students we’ve talked to that have now gone off to careers around the world reflect on and think about their ‘One World’ experiences here as some of the defining moments of their student time. So we want to learn what we’ve done in the past really well and equally make it part of our future.” 

[My role is] a complete and utter fantastic smorgasbord of global activities, but it’s all about cementing Warwick’s reputation as a globally critical university, and how we can together […] to help tackle some of the world’s most pressing problems

Prof Michael Scott

As part of his role as PVC for International moving past this 60th anniversary year, Prof Scott mentioned his intention to keep working with Warwick’s global partners. 

“My role also covers thinking about our international staff research collaborations, and it’s thinking about that global network that Warwick is a key part of, those different institutions around the world. So, no day is the same. 

“We’ll be thinking about what we’re doing in relation to working with partners in India, how we are reflecting on what we’re doing with our European partners, thinking about America, thinking about our strategic partner in South Africa, Stellenbosch University, and of course China as well. It’s a complete and utter fantastic smorgasbord of global activities, but it’s all about cementing Warwick’s reputation as a globally critical university, and how we can together, our researchers, educators, students, and alumni, come together to help tackle some of the world’s most pressing problems.”