RES support helps 92 UHI students develop skills and career opportunities
Students at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) are developing new skills, gaining practical experience and pursuing career opportunities through the Student Development Fund, supported by renewable energy company RES.
Over the past three years, RES funding has helped 92 students across the UHI partnership access professional qualifications, conferences, research visits and other development opportunities that support their studies and future careers.
In its final year, the fund supported 23 UHI students to attend the 2026 Integrated Land Use Conference and funded a range of individual development opportunities.
Among those receiving support is Samir Saha, a BA (Hons) Hospitality Management student at UHI Perth. Samir will use his award to undertake Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 1 and Level 2 Awards in Wines, building specialist knowledge to support his future career in hospitality.
Samir said:
“I am truly thankful to RES and the Student Development Fund panel for selecting me for this opportunity. Their support will help me pursue my wine qualification and further develop my knowledge and skills in hospitality management. I really appreciate the investment in students like me and the opportunities it creates for our growth and future.”
Philippa Gell, a BA (Hons) Culture, Heritage and Archaeology student at UHI Argyll, will take part in volunteering opportunities at archaeological sites across Scotland, including a residential in Ullapool, the Cairns dig in Orkney and the Crannog Centre.
Philippa said:
“As someone newly settled here and beginning to connect with communities and meaningful work, this substantial support gives me opportunities to explore Scotland’s projects, history and people alongside my studies in culture, heritage and archaeology at UHI. It is with deep gratitude that I thank you for making my involvement in these projects possible.”
Daniel Martin, an MRes Sustainability student at UHI Perth, will attend the IUCN UK Peatland Programme Conference in Swansea. The conference will give him the opportunity to learn from researchers, land managers and climate experts working in peatland management and restoration, supporting his research and professional development.
Daniel said:
“I am incredibly grateful for the support from the Student Development Fund and RES that has made attending this conference possible. Having the opportunity to engage with such a concentration of researchers in my field is invaluable to me at this stage in my career, and I look forward to being able to learn and exchange ideas with practitioners who work every day within the challenges that I hope to pursue.”
Ellen Whyte Duggan, an MLitt Highlands and Islands Literature student at the UHI Institute for Northern Studies, based at UHI Orkney, will use her award to visit the Edwin Muir Archive at the University of Edinburgh Library. The research visit will support her work on island literatures and help her develop archival research skills for a future career in academia.
Ellen said:
“I am incredibly touched and excited to have received this Student Development Fund award. It will enable me to research primary materials belonging to Edwin Muir and George Mackay Brown, whose exploration of islandness and childhood connects closely with themes I have studied at UHI. I am very grateful for the opportunity to carry this work into my future creative and academic work.”
Stephanie Strother, Advancement Manager at UHI, said:
“We are very grateful for RES’s generous support for the Student Development Fund over the past three years. The fund has helped students access and pursue professional development opportunities that they may not otherwise have been able to undertake, supporting their confidence, skills and future ambitions.”
Euan Hogg, Development Project Manager at RES, said:
“Supporting the Student Development Fund over the past three years has been a privilege. It’s fantastic to see the breadth of opportunities it has unlocked for UHI students across the Highlands and Islands, Moray and Perthshire.
“From professional qualifications and research visits to events such as the Integrated Land Use Conference, the fund empowers students to build practical skills and explore future career pathways. Having spent time with students at the conference earlier this year, I was struck by their ambition and insight. It gave me real confidence that the next generation of land use, environmental and sustainability professionals is in very capable hands.
“RES is proud to support this talent, helping students access experiences that make a meaningful difference to their studies, careers and communities.”