Nine Scots awarded international fellowships for study

This year’s recipients include Kaitlin Easton from South Lanarkshire, Anna Fettes from Fife and Violet Hejazi from Glasgow.

Ms Easton will undertake an internship with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research in Geneva as part of her MSc in Human Rights and Diplomacy at the University of Stirling.

Ms Fettes, who has played drums since the age of three, will study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, with the ambition of becoming the first female Scottish drummer to attend the institution.

Ms Hejazi, who arrived in Scotland as a refugee from Syria, will complete an internship at the Post-Conflict Research Center in Sarajevo as part of her LLM in Human Rights and Diplomacy.

The fellowships provide financial support to help recipients access international opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach, while developing skills and experience in their chosen fields.

Kaitlin Easton, fellow and MSc student at the University of Stirling, said: "I am incredibly grateful to the Scottish International Education Trust for supporting my internship at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) in Geneva.

"The financial support provided by the Trust is enabling me to undertake an opportunity that, without external funding, would not have been accessible to me.

"Being here in Geneva, and particularly being based at the Palais des Nations, has been an invaluable experience.

"Seeing how discussions, negotiations and multilateral cooperation unfold in practice has brought my academic interests to life in a way that could not be replicated through study alone."

Anna Fettes, who will study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, said: "I have been playing drum kit since I was just 3 years old, but I truly found my passion at age 11 when I decided I wanted to be a professional musician.

"My first encounter with Berklee was in 2024 when I was 15.

"I flew to Boston by myself to attend their 3-day Drums and Percussion Workshop.

"Even though it was short, I was completely hooked.

"For someone from a tiny Scottish village, being surrounded by people who are just as obsessed with music as I am was an indescribable feeling.

"It’s incredible to have the Trust’s support to help fulfil my dream of becoming the first female Scottish drummer ever to study at Berklee College of Music."

Violet Hejazi, who will undertake an internship in Sarajevo, said: "I am absolutely thrilled and deeply honoured to accept the Trustees’ generous offer.

"Arriving in Scotland alone at eighteen as a refugee from Syria, education became my anchor and my pathway to rebuilding a life.

"Receiving this grant is not only a vital financial lifeline that relieves the daunting prospect of high-interest debt, but also a profound vote of confidence in my potential as a legal scholar.

"Scotland gave me a second chance at life, and this award empowers me to represent Scottish academic excellence on the international stage."

Nick Bibby, chair of SIET, said:"Every round of awards reminds us of the extraordinary talent, determination and ambition that exists across Scotland.

"What unites our new Fellows is not a particular subject or destination, but their belief in what an international experience can enable them to achieve."

Ken Thomson, director of SIET, said: "Our Fellows demonstrate the many different ways in which international education and experience can change the course of a life.

"These awards are about recognising ability and potential, but also about helping to remove financial barriers that can prevent talented people from taking up exceptional opportunities."