MyGlasgow News

Professor James Murdoch of the University of Glasgow is one of two recipients of this year’s Universitas 21 (U21) Awards for Internationalisation. It is in recognition of individual efforts to further internationalisation and build relations between U21 members. The second winner was Professor Martyn Poliakoff of the University of Nottingham.   Professor Murdoch was nominated on the strength of his pioneering teaching of human rights law in an international context. A particular focus of Professor Murdoch’s has been the European Human Rights Project, which allows students to plead a case before Judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. This led to the introduction of a programme run by Glasgow for Bosnian law students and subsequently students from Belarus.

In 2013, in recognition of this work, he was awarded the Pro Merito Medal of the Council of Europe. Professor Murdoch has also initiated an integrated internationalisation programme offering students the chance to build on their international experience through exchanges; and, most recently, a new bid promoting excellence in the teaching of law through developmental support to staff in partner universities.

Professor Murdoch said of his award “I am truly grateful to have been granted a U21 award – my work in the human rights field is heavily reliant on education in an international context and it is wonderful that Universitas 21 is acknowledging the importance long-distance learning. Every student should have the opportunity to share their ideas and learn from contemporaries across the world.”

The hand-crafted wood and glass awards will be presented at a special ceremony in May 2014 as part of U21’s Annual Presidential Meeting, being held at the University of Glasgow.

 

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First published: 21 November 2013