HE/FE NEWS
University of Bath launches multimillion-pound global scholarship fund
The scholarship fund, of up to £9.2 million, aims to further support the University of Bath in attracting top talent from around the world to benefit from its world-class education, outstanding student experience and excellent employability prospects. With a growing global reputation for research and education excellence, ranking in the top ten within the UK and 132nd in the QS World University Rankings, these schemes further demonstrate the University’s commitment to attracting the best globally, as it moves into its 60th anniversary year in 2026. Professor Manuel Barcia, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement, said: “These schemes will help the University of Bath to continue to attract a truly diverse and international student body, something which I believe is fundamental to delivering a world class education, as in my experience students don’t just learn from our
faculty, they also learn from each other.
“This multimillion-pound global scholarship fund reinforces Bath’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural exchange which is essential preparation for our graduates who go on to enjoy excellent employability prospects.”
The scholarship fund includes two of the following schemes: • Up to 300 Bath International Excellence Scholarships of £24,000 reduction in fees over three years will be available for high achieving international undergraduate students.
• Up to 250 Bath Global Excellence Scholarships worth £10,000 for high achieving international postgraduate students joining a full- time taught master’s course in September 2026.
UK universities facing over 76,000 outstanding building maintenance repairs
At least 76,527 building maintenance issues remain unresolved across UK universities, according to government data reviewed by commercial property consultants Vail Williams – with the national property experts warning that the true scale of the backlog could be several times higher. The figure, obtained via Freedom of Information requests to 105 institutions (61 of which responded), reveals an average of over 1,254 outstanding maintenance jobs per university – a staggering indicator that many UK universities are struggling to keep their estates operational, compliant, and fit for purpose. If extrapolated across the UK’s 165+ universities, the real total could be around 207,000 unresolved repairs. This backlog highlights mounting pressure on UK university estates, many of which include historic, complex, and heavily used buildings. From leaking roofs and broken boilers to more serious compliance and health and safety issues, the scale of delayed maintenance is now seen as a threat to teaching, research, and student wellbeing. Christopher Bailey at Vail Williams commented: “This is a staggeringly high number of maintenance requests at UK universities and they are highly unlikely to all be cosmetic issues. Many outstanding repairs at universities typically relate to critical buildings that affect students, staff
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and even operational safety. What this highlights is that too many universities are likely to be stuck in a cycle of reactive maintenance. With backlogs this large, institutions need to rethink their entire approach. This is where a Planned Maintenance Programme (PMP) could come in, which offers a proactive, long-term strategy to protect complex estates, preserve heritage assets and avoid future disruption.”
In light of the study, Vail Williams property experts are calling on the sector to adopt Planned Maintenance Programmes, which are strategic, long-term frameworks designed to prevent this kind of chronic under- maintenance. A PMP includes detailed condition surveys, risk assessments, asset registers and cost forecasting to give estates teams a clear picture of where and when work is needed. Crucially, it allows universities to spread investment over time, reduce unplanned costs, and ensure compliance with increasingly demanding regulation.
Christopher added: “The benefits of a Planned Maintenance Programme go well beyond fixing buildings. When properly implemented, it supports wider sustainability goals and protects the long-term value of estates - especially those with historic or specialist buildings.”
January 2026
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