Welcoming a new generation of change-makers - Chancellor

University of Reading Chancellor Paul Lindley reflects on last week’s welcome event for our Global Sustainability Leader scholars, and the significance of the scheme to the University.

As Chancellor of the University of Reading, I could not be prouder as I reflect on an evening last week when we welcomed the very first cohort of the Global Sustainability Leaders (GSL) Scholars to the University and their scholarship.

The event was more than a reception; it was a declaration of purpose — of the kind of university we aspire to be, and of the role each of our scholars will play in shaping a more sustainable future.

A moment of beginnings

At the welcome gathering of over 200 people — most of them only days into their university lives — I had the opportunity to talk with many of our new scholars.

I heard about their passions for the planet, their ambitions for the future, and their determination to be the change they hope to see. I was struck by the clarity of their ambitions, the way they articulated the issues, and their excitement at beginning this unique journey.

In my address, I reflected on what this community means. These young people are not simply recipients of a bursary. They are pioneers — a founding class of leaders who will help define what ‘sustainability at university’ truly means.

On the night, we also heard from Dr Jonathan Dewsbury, Director of Education Estates and Net Zero at the Department for Education, and from our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Van de Noort. Many faculty heads and academics were present too, underlining the University’s collective commitment to welcoming and supporting our new scholars.

Why this scholarship matters

From its inception, the GSL scholarship was conceived not just as financial aid, but as a catalyst: to foster a community of young people across many disciplines who are committed to climate, nature, and planetary wellbeing.

Because sustainability increasingly touches every profession, the skills, insights, and networks that scholars build will be highly sought after by employers. A Reading graduate who can speak fluently, and act confidently, about climate, adaptation, systems thinking, ethical trade-offs, and resilience — whether their degree is in economics or art — will have a real advantage.

From a broader perspective, the programme reflects our belief that universities must evolve from producing research alone to cultivating citizens, leaders, and stewards. Reading is choosing to invest — and to lead. The GSL scholarship Welcome Event was a tangible demonstration of that: a university prepared to invest in human potential for planetary benefit, and 240 young undergraduates eager to be equipped to lead.

• Reading named University of the Year for Scholarships and Bursaries

I look forward to seeing how this first cohort evolves: what student-led projects arise, what partnerships form, what research is catalysed, and what community impact is achieved.

In future years, I expect we will share stories of alumni who go on to launch NGOs, advise governments, shape technologies, and lead social movements. But equally, we will hear of hundreds of others who quietly, confidently, and responsibly embed sustainability principles into their everyday jobs and careers.

They will make small differences here, influence bigger differences there, and seed sustainability expertise and mindsets within strategies and cultures everywhere — all sparked by their experience as GSL scholars.