Two organisations with a global reach have come together to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nation are taken on board by universities and their students globally.
QS is the leading international company compiling ratings for Universities, based in London with offices throughout the World, has come together with World Merit, a Liverpool based but globally reaching charity which has encouraged hundreds of thousands of young people to take up the challenge of delivering SDGs in their own community.
The entity, QS World Merit, will begin to work with Universities and their students in 2021 to encourage a great interest by Universities and students in the communities in which they are based. The aim is to improve integration with the community by a way of delivering practical projects linked to the SDGs in their community. Ideally, some of that work will not just be charitable in intent but will also improve ‘town and gown’ partnership and cooperation.
Nunzio Quacquarelli, the QS Chief Executive says, “this is a logical development of the non-profit making side of our business. We have been impressed by World Merit’s ability to reach out to young people not only remotely but also by the provision of targeted events and activities and harness young people’s enthusiasm for practical action. Young people already know that to get a good job they need not only academic qualifications but something to make their CV stand out. Practical work and local leadership could give the ‘star shine’ that they need”.
Marlou Cornelissen, the Chief Executive of World Merit who will stay as Chief Executive of the operation says, “our new relationship with QS gives access to more than 1,000 universities and hundreds of millions of under- and post graduates. We can use our experience, some of which has already been gained in University settings, to enable greater community action globally. We particularly welcome the opportunity to work with the Universities themselves as we believe a good involvement with the Universities in the project will help them tailor courses to a more practical outcome for the communities they work in”
Zoya Zaitseva, Head of Partnerships at QS who will be coordinating charity’s development from the QS side, is excited about the new development: “QS has been running the QS Scholarship Trust since 2003, merging it with the World Merit charity is a great step forward opening our opportunities to a wider community of young people, education providers and corporate partners.”
QS World Merit will officially launch in January 2021 with two initial offers:
- Offering scholarships, prizes and other opportunities based on their existing systems to develop interest and action in specific targets amongst the 17 SDGs
- The development of a ‘Civic University’ concept, with a number of handpicked universities to explore the ‘town and gown’ aspects of the work in a very practical way.
QS World Merit will be guided by a team of experienced academics; community workers and City Councilors who will assist both the universities and the students in the development of practical programmes.
For further details please reach out to:
Marlou Cornelissen
CEO QS World Merit
marlou@qsworldmerit.org