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The SIET Story
The Scottish International Education Trust was established in 1971, through the generosity of our founders, who include actor Sir Sean Connery and racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart OBE.
The Trust helps young (and occasionally not-so-young) Scots who show exceptional promise to benefit from the transformative power of international education. We focus on those who show the potential to benefit from such an experience and in turn share those rewards with others, but who face financial obstacles in doing so.
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Over the years, we have discovered that the vote of confidence demonstrated by a SIET grant is just as valuable as the money.
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These extraordinary individuals are following in the footsteps of those who for generations have left Scotland to seek fortune, opportunity or understanding in the world beyond her shores. Just like those who have gone before them, some SIET fellows return to their native land to apply what they have learned at home, others build a new life overseas, writing the next chapter in Scotland's remarkable international story.
Who We Are
The Trust's activities and awards are overseen by a board of trustees, and day-to-day activities are managed by our director. Our first director was the legendary artist and impresario Richard Demarco CBE. More recently, the Trust has appointed recently-retired senior civil servants. We are currently fortunate to benefit from the skills and expertise of Ken Thomson CB FAcSS, former Director General Strategy and External Affairs at the Scottish Government.
Nick Bibby FRSA FAcSS
Chair
Nick is an entrepreneur, researcher and writer. He is a well-known figure in Scottish academia and public life and much of his work takes place at the interface of academic research and public policy. As well as chairing SIET, he is director of Research and Impact Ltd, and an honorary professor at the University of the West of Scotland. Nick is an experience trustee and governor, currently serving as a director of SCOTCHEM Ltd, and previously sitting on the boards of Migration Policy Scotland, the English Speaking Union in Scotland and others. He also founded and led the knowledge brokerage charity, the Scottish Policy & Research Exchange. He started his career in political journalism, writing for the Scotsman, Herald, Telegraph and others. He then worked and studied overseas for several years before returning to Scotland and working at the University of Edinburgh.
Kelly Finnan
Trustee
Kelly Finnan works in an administrative and project development capacity with The Juniper Trust, providing bespoke support to undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds across Scotland. She has also supported The Robertson Trust in an ambassador and mentor capacity, and more recently worked as an alumni consultant to update The Robertson Scholarship application process. Kelly provides governance support to a charitable and a commercial board. After undertaking a short course in Board Governance at Napier University, she co-developed a workshop which demystifies board work, in particular helping young people to develop the skills and confidence to seek board positions and bring greater diversity of thought to the boardroom.
Dr Mike Ewart
Trustee
Mike Ewart previously served as the Trust's director for ten years, prior to which he had a distinguished career in public service. He held a series of senior posts including serving as Assistant Private Secretary to the then Secretary of State for Scotland, George Younger, from May 1981 to October 1982. While he held posts in areas such as transport and education, much of his career was spent focussed on justice policy, including acting as the first Chief Executive of the Scottish Courts Service. His final job in public life was as head of the Scottish Prison Service and it was from this post that Sean Connery poached him to become director of SIET in 2010.
Paul Bonner Hughes
Trustee
Paul Bonner Hughes is a commercial barrister based in London. He is dual-qualified in England & Wales and New York. Called in 2021, he brought over a decade of experience in litigation and arbitration to the Bar, having previously practised as a litigation attorney with Davis Polk & Wardwell and Quinn Emanuel in New York, a Solicitor with Quinn Emanuel in London and laterally as Head of Department at a litigation boutique in London. Paul holds degrees from Harvard Law School, the University of Oxford (Balliol College) and the University of Glasgow. His first encounter with SIET was as a successful applicant for one of our awards when he was working towards studying at Harvard. Outside of work, Paul has a strong commitment to social mobility and community engagement. In addition to his work with SIET, he serves as Chair of The Scottish State School Mentoring Network, a non-profit that connects current state school pupils with their predecessors who have now entered the world of work, and as a Trustee with the BUNAC Educational Scholarship Trust. He also co-founded and co-leads Scots in the City, a network for professional Scots based in London.
Theresa Valtin MCIPR
Vice-Chair
Theresa Valtin is Depute Director (Strategy, Marketing and Communications) at the Open University in Scotland. She has a distinguished career in communications behind her, including working as Head of Strategy and Communications at Revenue Scotland, leading the Communications and Engagement work of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and serving as Head of External Engagement and Communications for the University of Edinburgh. She is also an experienced trustee, currently sitting on the board of Alzheimer Scotland alongside her work with SIET.
James Rice
Trustee
James Rice runs two careers in parallel. In addition to being one of Scotland's most sought-after experts in the world of independent cinema, he also runs a successful academic publishing house. He is a director and trustee of the newly reopened Edinburgh Filmhouse, and was one of the 'Gang of Four' who stepped in to save this beloved Edinburgh institution. He is also an associate at Mustard Studios Ltd, a boutique consultancy through which he offers project-based work around feasibility assessment, business modelling and business case development for new cinemas; and works through INDY Cinema Services to support a diverse range of independent cinemas across a multi-strand service portfolio. In his other life, at the White Horse Press, he publishes scholarly books and journals on environment and society, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary work rooted in environmental history and environmental ethics.
Anthony Schofield
Trustee
Anthony Schofield FMCA has had a distinguished career in business with a particular focus on the wines and spirits industry. He previously held the positions of public affairs director, Chivas Brothers, and previously served as Managing Director of Jan Becher - Pernod Ricard. Prior to which he was Chivas Brothers Finance Director.
Dr Stephanie Mckendry
Trustee
Dr Stephanie McKendry has over 20 years’ experience in various teaching, learning and research roles in higher education. Since 2014, she has led widening access work at the University of Strathclyde and in 2019 brought together access and equality and diversity policy and activity. She is currently Deputy Director of Student Experience with a remit that covers access, equality, admissions and employability. . Stephanie supported the Scottish Commissioner for Fair Access as Researcher/Implementation Advisor from 2016 to 2020, has been a member of two National Expert Think Tanks on fair admissions, sits on the Universities Scotland Admissions Working Group and the Scottish Government’s Access Delivery Group. Stephanie is an editor of the Journal for Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning and led the award winning TransEDU research project exploring the experiences of trans and gender diverse applicants, students and staff.
Ken Thomson CB FAcSS
Director
Ken Thomson is a former Director General in the Scottish Government and one of the key architects of devolution. His distinguished career in the civil service saw him support Ministers of five parties in the UK and Scottish Governments, including as Principal Private Secretary to the Rt Hon Donald Dewar MP MSP as Secretary of State for Scotland and as First Minister of Scotland. In addition to his work at SIET, he is an honorary professor at the Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow.
Prof Jane Stanley
Trustee
Jane Stanley is Professor of Composition at the University of Glasgow's School of Culture & Creative Arts. She is also founder and co-director of the Scottish Young Composer Project. She is a Scotland-based but Australian-born composer specialising in chamber and orchestral music. Jane’s music has been performed and broadcast throughout the world and featured at festivals including Tanglewood, ISCM World Music Days, Gaudeamus Music Week, Asian Composers League, Wellesley Composers Conference, and June in Buffalo. She has received commissions from Tanglewood, Musica Viva, Robert Irvine, Bernadette Harvey, Continuum Sax, Ensemble Offpsring, and Halcyon. She received her PhD from the University of Sydney and in 2004-5 she was a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University. Her teachers include Anne Boyd, Peter Sculthorpe, Ross Edwards, and Bernard Rands. Jane was a composition fellow at Tanglewood Music Center in 2008, who commissioned Palimpsest for large brass ensemble. In 2009 she was a Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School.
Theresa Valtin MCIPR
Trustee
Theresa Valtin is Depute Director (Strategy, Marketing and Communications) at the Open University in Scotland. She has a distinguished career in communications behind her, including working as Head of Strategy and Communications at Revenue Scotland, leading the Communications and Engagement work of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and serving as Head of External Engagement and Communications for the University of Edinburgh. She is also an experienced trustee, currently sitting on the board of Alzheimer Scotland alongside her work with SIET.
Jenny Thornton
Trustee
Jenny is a highly accomplished strategic leader in the technology-for-good sector, with a proven track record of building high-value partnerships across government, multilaterals, foundations, and corporate donors. Jenny has a postgraduate Masters in International Relations from the University of Cambridge for which she received an award from the Scottish International Education Trust. In her current role at the social impact organisation, Simprints, Jenny is responsible for external relations, with a specific focus on project and funder partners for the organisation’s Ethiopia and Nutrition portfolios. Earlier in her career, she worked at the University of Cambridge, progressing through Africa-focused project management roles and social mobility initiatives. A proud Scottish national, Jenny also holds an Undergraduate Masters in Geography and Social Anthropology from the University of St Andrews.
What We Do
The Scottish International Education Trust (SIET) exists to help exceptional Scots gain transformative international experiences. By providing funding for talented Scottish people at a critical stage in their lives, we can help them build knowledge, skills and perspectives to forge successful careers and be forces for good in the world.
At its heart, our work funds opportunities for transformative growth for young Scots who might otherwise struggle to achieve their ambitions.
These people are musicians who have gone on to enthral audiences across the globe; biologists now making major contributions to animal conservation; Harvard Law School graduates protecting and promoting human rights. And those on their way to careers in forensic medicine, bio and geo sciences, global economics and cyber security. They are carrying on a long tradition of gifted Scots going out into the world and making a difference wherever they go.
How We Do It
Our approach to identifying candidates and making grants rests on five pillars. We are:
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• Established: We have been awarding grants to talented young people for 50 years. We have an eye for spotting potential, and the knowledge of what works.
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• Expert: Our Board of experts makes our awards, and represents a broad range of expertise and interests, including: arts and humanities; the natural, physical and social sciences, widening participation and education; film and culture; law and policy making; enterprise and industry, history and heritage, and more.
• Connected: We have built up strong networks across academia and industry, and work closely with tutors, teachers, referees and partner organisations to identify talented Scots who can benefit most from international experience.
• Responsive: We are small, nimble and flexible enough to consider each application on its merits, without relying on an algorithm. Using an algorithm or rigid criteria might mean mean we miss out on the most extraordinary Scots who need our support.
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• Efficient: Our overheads are low and allow us economies of scale, so that we can support more people with less. Almost all of the value of any gift goes directly to fund experiences for bright Scots with potential.