Global Communities Fund helps student events to flourish

From food festivals and cultural celebrations to workshops that explore identity through art, students at the University have organised a series of funded events to promote internationalism, community, and inclusion.

A collaboration between Ƶ and EUSA

The Students’ Association and Ƶ collaborate each year to deliver the Global Communities Fund. 

This student funding opportunity was designed to empower underrepresented groups by providing resources they need to run events for international students, or which aim to celebrate or build awareness and knowledge of internationalism and multiculturalism.

The initiative is co-funded by Education Beyond Borders in Ƶ and the Students’ Association, who also manage the application and allocation process for the Fund. 

Celebrating culture through food, dance and dialogue

The 2024/05 Fund supported 17 student-led initiatives—a significant increase from the number supported last year. The initiatives selected for funding covered a wide range of themes and formats.  

Recurring themes included the creation of safe spaces to explore identity, and the use of food, music, and dialogue as tools for connection and cultural understanding.

Students gather in Playfair Library
Students gather in Playfair Library

Selected highlights

Afrospin

An inclusive fitness initiative, which offered Black heritage students a safe space to connect and celebrate African and Caribbean cultures.

Ramadan Iftars

Hosted by the Islamic Society, providing free communal meals to foster community during the holy month.

Body as Database

A participatory dance project which explored multicultural identity through movement, culminating in a public showcase.

China and the UK: A Global Relationship

A cross-university workshop, encouraging student dialogue on international relations and presentation skills.

Edinburgh Games and Global Food Fair

Multi-sport single day event modelled on the Olympics and supplemented with a Global Food Fair, where 10+ International & Multicultural Societies displayed their country/regions’ food to celebrate multiculturalism and create community.

Makan-Makan

A collaborative food festival between the Malaysian and Singaporean student societies to celebrate and promote Southeast Asian cultures through food.

Building Community, Sharing Identity

Ongoing project to build a support network to help international students (particularly those of East African descent) feel included in unfamiliar environments and foster connection among the East African society’s diverse membership

  • Students enjoying the Afrospin session on spin bikes
  • A group photo of the Afrospin students
  • A room full of people at the China and the UK: A Global Relationship workshop
  • A large group photo taken at the Climate Workshop

Transparent and fair

To ensure representation and equity, a student-led panel, including Sabbatical Officers and international student representatives, were invited to assess the applications.  Events that met the Fund’s values were chosen:

  • Promoting intercultural dialogue amongst international students and home students.
  • Showcasing and celebrating internationalism and multiculturalism at Edinburgh.
  • Empowering the international student body by fostering a sense of community and belonging amongst international students.

Looking ahead

A full report on the fund’s distribution and impact will be published in July 2025. Early signs suggest that increased promotion and awareness-building work undertaken by EUSA boosted participation and deepened the quality and variety of intercultural engagement. 

The Global Communities Fund continues to play a vital role in celebrating Edinburgh’s internationalism. 

The Global Communities Fund has made a tangible impact on the student experience this year, supporting 17 student-led projects aimed at celebrating internationalism and multiculturalism, promoting intercultural dialogue and building community, belonging and connection amongst international students. We’ve been thoroughly impressed by the quality and variety of proposed activities, ranging from sharing cultural traditions through food, music and other creative practices to developing engaging strategies to tackle socio-political issues and explore identity. Successful applicants have communicated how the fund has made a meaningful difference for their project, highlighting the importance of the fund in providing students with essential financial support.

Sara Pocher and Katie Griffiths Co-leads of the Development Fund project
Publication date