The Scholarship is aimed at first-year undergraduate students nominated by participating universities for the Scheme, and seeks to address the disproportionate under-representation of Black men from less socially mobile backgrounds in large commercial law firms and other careers in the City of London.

It is provided by global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and was launched in 2013 with support from Doreen Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, OBE.

Benefits include a 15-month development programme, mentorship, commercial familiarisation though work-shadowing and £5,000 towards study-related costs. For those who wish it, there is an alternative pathway to an interview for a trainee associate programme at the firm.

Annette Byron, Freshfields’ Partner for Social Mobility, commented: “I am delighted to welcome the new cohort to the twelfth year of the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme. This year, we had the honour of considering 78 outstanding candidates, all showing exceptional potential. We look forward to support our 12 new scholars as they begin their professional paths and continue to contribute to the enduring impact of the Scheme."

Arthur, who is looking forward to starting the development programme, said: “Being selected for the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship is an honour. I’m excited to learn and grow alongside such a talented group of scholars, and I hope this experience will not only advance my own ambitions but also inspire others to pursue their goals.”

"I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of all our candidates who participated in the assessment centres in London," Emma added. “Each of them demonstrated exceptional skill and professionalism, representing both themselves and the University with great distinction throughout the process.”

As well as making a big difference in their local communities and beyond, international students bring a £41 billion annual contribution to the UK, meaning on average, each of the 650 parliamentary constituencies in the UK is £58 million better off – equivalent to approximately £560 per citizen. In the North West alone, international students contribute £3.04bn to the regional economy.

Jamie Arrowsmith, Director of UUKi said: “It’s never felt more important to acknowledge the important contributions that international students make to their university and local communities, and to the UK more broadly. It’s not just about the economic side of it – international students give back through cultural exchange, volunteering, and so much more. We’re proud to be sharing their stories through the latest phase of the #WeAreInternational campaign.” 

Beth Sims, a third-year Chemistry student at The University of Manchester, will join a group of 18 students, all on work placement at , a science company in Derbyshire, to take part in the challenge to raise money for , an important charity supporting students with their mental health.

The Lubrizol students will be completing the distance between Lubrizol in Hazelwood, Derbyshire, and the company’s base in Barcelona. They are aiming to cover the 1715km (1066 miles) distance collectively, with each student taking on roughly 100km during April, whether that be walking, running, cycling, or even climbing. 

Beth enjoys going for jogs in Lubrizol’s extensive grounds, which are set in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside in a former stately home near Duffield and will be running the distance throughout the challenge.

With around one in four students reporting having a diagnosed mental health issue while at university, Student Minds empowers students to build their own mental health toolkit to support themselves and their peers through university life and beyond. The students are aiming to raise £500 with their distance challenge, which will be matched by Lubrizol. To donate, visit:

Other universities represented by the Lubrizol distance challenge are: Derby, Loughborough, York, Warwick, Nottingham, Lincoln, Durham, St Andrews and Sheffield.

Michael Magwira from Malawi was another scholar who graduated, after gaining a distinction for his MSc in Medical and Molecular Virology. Alongside resuming his career as a Molecular Laboratory Scientist, he will use his newly-acquired knowledge of virus biology to understand the HIV pandemic in his home country, which he hopes will have a positive effect on its future transmission and control.

“Prior to applying to The University of Manchester, I spent a considerable amount of time researching the standards of teaching and facilities available at a number of UK universities,” he said. “When I received notification via the Equity and Merit Facebook page about the scholarship, 91ֱ�� rose to the top of my list as it had everything I was looking for, from my education to the environment I wished to study in. I then spoke to few E&M alumni from Uganda and Tanzania who had nothing but positive things to say - two highlights of their feedback that encouraged me to apply were the high standards of teaching and the support available at the University.”

“The support that the University gives to its students is fantastic, and is centred around the wellbeing of the students. The lifestyle in 91ֱ�� is very diverse and inclusive - regardless of your nationality, you will always find someone to talk to. Apart from good entertainment and football exposure, the road and transport networks make it easier to access the University from all around the city.”

Another of our graduates was Rufaro Matsika from Zimbabwe, who attained an MSc in International Development majoring in Environment, Climate Change and Development. She wants to assist businesses to account for their emissions and monitor the progress of their decarbonisation strategies. She aims to establish a consultancy firm that facilitates the integration of sustainable practices in business operations while providing opportunities for young individuals from diverse backgrounds to gain hands-on work experience in the field of sustainability.

“I enjoyed everything about the University, from the vast number of resources available to help my academic journey to the exceptional support and guidance I received from the university staff and my academic advisor,” she said. “Everything you need as a student is at your disposal, including career guidance, creating a CV and preparing for interviews. I also liked how the model of learning allows students to apply critical thinking skills.”

“Living and studying in 91ֱ�� was a highlight due to its remarkable diversity, making it easy to connect with like-minded individuals. There is so much entertainment and many activities that one can do with friends, and transport is easily accessible. I also liked the fact the city houses two prominent Premier League football teams, 91ֱ�� City and 91ֱ�� United - these are teams that I used to just see on TV, but having them in your neighbourhood was a dream come true!”

The University of Manchester has unveiled the next phase of its plans to provide more high-quality, modern student accommodation on the Fallowfield campus.

A major redevelopment on part of the Fallowfield site covering Owens Park, Oak House and Woolton Hall is being proposed to meet the increasing demand for student bedrooms in safe and sociable surroundings.

The University is progressing an outline planning application which would replace existing bedspaces with up to 3,300 new bedspaces. This would result in up to 5,400 beds across the Fallowfield campus, helping to uplift the current number of beds by up to 950. By widening the supply, it will provide students with greater choice helping to meet the demand for high-quality, modern bedrooms across the popular campus.

The redevelopment will be delivered in multiple phases and includes the demolition of Owens Park Tower which has been closed for several years. The work does not affect students currently living in halls at the Fallowfield campus and prospective students can continue to apply for existing halls as normal.

Launching today (Tuesday 6^th June 2023), the University has launched a public consultation on the plans, giving residents, local groups, students and staff the opportunity to provide feedback on the plans prior to the submission of the outline planning application to 91ֱ�� City Council. During the consultation period, the University is hosting a public drop in event on Wednesday 14^th June at Uttley House on the Fallowfield campus, and a live public webinar on Thursday 15^th June. More information is available on the consultation website

Dr Simon Merrywest, Director for the Student Experience, University of Manchester said: “The proposals for the redevelopment of this area of the Fallowfield campus will strengthen the University’s ability to offer a world-class, supportive student experience in well-located, good value, quality accommodation. This redevelopment provides an opportunity to widen the choice and supply of student bedrooms whilst ensuring they are fulfilling the requirements of future students studying at the University.

“Through creating these welcoming and inclusive spaces, it helps create a positive sense of place for our students as they live, learn and thrive within the surrounding community.”

Ahead of submitting an outline planning application, an initial phase of enabling works to refurbish existing accommodation in Oak House will start in the summer and the relocation of the student reception will be completed in time for the start of 2023/24 academic year.

The public consultation will close on Friday 30^th June 2023. To view further information and to receive updates on the project, please visit the project consultation website.

The latest report also highlights that graduate recruitment at the UK's top employers increased substantially in 2022, with a 14.5% increase in the number of graduates recruited compared to 2021. 

The number of graduate jobs available is expected to increase by a further 6.3% in 2023, with accounting & professional services firms being the largest recruiters of new graduates.

For more information, please read the or visit the .

To donate to Road to Relief, visit . You can also donate via bank transfer to Memon Association UK (sort code 30-98-97, account number 67538462). 

To donate to Round Table Malawi, visit .

The project, entitled ‘Does Disruption of the Circadian Clock System Advance Liver Fibrosis was carried out at the at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Manchester whilst intercalating for his BSc in Anatomical Sciences.

Mr Adegboye was presented with his award and £1,500 prize at the annual meeting of the British Gastroenterology Society (BSG) on Tuesday June 21^st. The ceremony took place during a special dinner at the Raddison Blu Hotel in Birmingham, with the awards presented by the Chair of the BSG and attended by other illustrious names in gastroenterology medicine along with the CEO of Guts UK.

The Dr Falk Pharma/Guts UK Awards are dedicated to encouraging research and promoting patient care in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology. Since 2007 they have rewarded over 120 dedicated young health care professionals, including medical students, junior doctors, nurses and dietitians.

Mr Adegboye explains, ‘I have developed a keen interest in liver disease because it affects so many people across so many aetiologies. Further, liver disease is going to be one of the major health challenges of the future. Organ fibrosis occurs across all liver disease and so if we can find a method of treating fibrosis it would be of enormous benefit.

This project aims to investigate whether the Circadian Clock System (CCS) contributes to the advancement of progressive fibrosis in the liver. If our hypothesis is correct, it would suggest that CCS disruption advances liver fibrosis - a condition which is associated with most of the morbidity and mortality related to CLD. This may pave the way for the development of therapies to target the liver’s circadian rhythms may be a way to halt or reduce fibrotic progress.’

‘I am so pleased to have been awarded this prize. Itis a reward for all the hard work that has gone into this project, not just for me but for all the team. I am really interested in pursuing a career in clinical research and this is a very competitive are of medicine so this award will be really useful for my CV and to open some doors as I build my career.’

Mr Adegboye’s Project Supervisor Professor Karen Piper Hanley comments :  ‘Oluwatobi has been a great student to have in the lab. His enthusiasm has been fantastic, and our collective lab have been delighted with both his intellectual and technical in-put into the project. His contributions will most certainly be recognised as we look to publish these findings.’

A team of students from have won an award for genetically modifying bacteria to produce kinder hair-dyes.

The eight students, with academic guidance from the , the , and the , genetically engineered E. coli bacteria to secrete proteins which could colour, repair, straighten, and fragrance hair.

For their work, they were awarded a gold medal in the (iGEM) competition. The focus of iGEM is to provide a synthetic biology-based solution to a real-world problem.

The project aimed to explore an alternative to current hair-dyes which use often harmful chemicals, leading to allergic reactions in users, as well as environmental damage if not disposed of properly. They can also cause bleaching and brittle hair, and have been tentatively suggested as a potential carcinogen.

“The initial idea,” said Elisa Barrow Molina, a third year biotechnology student, “came from an article we saw about how hair dyes could cause alarming reactions in some users.”

The students genetically modified a strain of E. coli which naturally adheres to hair to secrete a dye, replacing the use of potential pollutant and carcinogens.

After this initial idea, they also realised they could modify the bacteria to secrete other products, such as proteins to repair hair, and compounds to fragrance it. Through experiments, the students showed that their engineered bacteria were resilient when exposed to stresses such as chlorine or shampoo.

They encountered several challenges during the process, though the biggest one “depends on who you ask!”, as the division of labour meant they were all meeting and overcoming different headaches during their work.

Camilo Albornoz Carranza, a third year neuroscientist, says; “The synthetic biology was out of my comfort zone, but winning a gold medal vindicates all the work we put in.”

On this note, the students are all in agreement. “This shows we did something worthwhile,” they say, considering it justification for the three months of lab work they put in over the summer. The award from iGEM “closes the chapter”, says Elisa.

“That’s the thing about iGEM,” adds Sophie Guillemot, a third year chemist, “it’s about bringing ideas to the table and leaving them for the next team to develop further.”

While they are not currently planning to commercialise the bacteria, the students also carefully considered potential safety concerns should their product ever make it to market. To address these, the students designed and computationally modelled two genetic ‘kill-switches’, which would prevent the engineered bacteria either surviving away from hair, or developing pathogenicity.

“In ten or twenty years,” notes second year molecular biologist Thomas Harrison, “I think genetically modified bacteria will be part of our lives on a very intimate, primary level.”

The project was initially financed by the University, but the students also sought out sponsors and private donors. They also consulted with the public and hair care experts, which resulted in the introduction of a straightening protein to their final design, as well as the exploration of a large range of colours.

Going forward, the team plan to focus on their individual degrees. For some of them, the iGEM project has helped them to decide where they would like to work in the future. Mujtaba Ansari, a third year biotechnology student, says; “By participating, I’ve discovered that I really like research and lab work, and it’s definitely something I’d like to do in the future.”

Prof Eriko Takano, supervisor of the iGEM team says “We are now looking for enthusiastic students to join the next year’s team. This is a great opportunity, not just for biology students but for students from all faculties who want to explore the revolutionary impact of new technologies and push their skills to new limits”.