UofG awarded grant to advance Multilingual Leadership and Refugee Language Integration in schools
Published: 24 August 2026
The UofG has been awarded a Scottish Government grant to strengthen multilingual education, language leadership and refugee integration across Scottish secondary schools.
The University of Glasgow's School of Education has been awarded a Scottish Government grant to strengthen multilingual education, language leadership and refugee integration across Scottish secondary schools.
The pioneering programme will strengthen Scotland’s framework for multilingual and refugee language integration, and equip school leaders with the expertise needed to support multilingual and intercultural practices.
It will also enhance visibility and valuing of New Scots’ languages across the education system, and contribute to Scotland’s wider commitments to inclusive, intercultural leadership.
‘Multilingual New Scots, School Leadership and Refugee Language Integration’ which received £14,988.70 from the Scottish Government, aligns directly with Scotland’s long‑term commitment to ensuring that communities understand integration interculturally and that the languages and strengths of New Scots are fully recognised within Scottish education.
The initiative is led jointly by the UofG’s School of Education based UNESCO Chair on Refugee Integration through Education Languages and the Arts (RIELA), the Centre for Transformative Change in Schools (CenTCS), and School Leaders Scotland.
Professor Alison Phipps, UNESCO RIELA Chair, said: "Leadership in multilingual matters is now a critical need in Scotland as disinformation and fear of the other fill public discourse. This is especially true for schools where ALL Scots need the best of multilingual education, following international frameworks and transformational programmes for leadership. This is why this partnerships with School leaders Scotland and the University of Glasgow’s School of Education is coming at a critical juncture to explore the kinds of changes needed."
Drawing on recent research, the programme addresses key recommendations by embedding multilingual pedagogies across schools, and recognising New Scots’ languages within the 1+2 languages policy. It will also expand professional learning in translanguaging, arts-based approaches, and ecological models of multilingual education, as well as strengthening leadership capacity for multilingual education across the country.
The grant will fund planned activities including multilingual leadership training pathways delivered with CenTCS, School Leaders Scotland and New Scots Advisors, and professional learning resources, including access to the FutureLearn course, Multilingualism in a Globalised World.
It will also support practice-based development, expanding UNESCO Chair language taster sessions and awareness initiatives, and evaluation of multilingual leadership needs across Scottish secondary schools
The initiative is led by Professor Alison Phipps, Professor Aileen Kennedy, and Professor Brianna Kennedy, in collaboration with UNESCO RIELA, CenTCS, and School Leaders Scotland.
First published: 24 August 2026