School of Culture & Creative Arts

The University of Glasgow is a Major Supporter of the TV Foundation, the charity behind the Edinburgh TV Festival, in their work to provide free-to-access career development opportunities, groundbreaking initiatives to improve inclusivity in the TV industry, and support new and emerging talent.

New talent programmes, The Network & New Writers Collective

Thanks to the University’s partnership with the TV Foundation, final year UofG students (from any subject) interested in making a career in the TV industry benefit from:

• Briefings about The Network, with advice and guidance on how to apply and fast-track interviews
  A cornerstone of the partnership, The Network is The TV Foundation’s entry-level career development programme which takes place in August alongside the Edinburgh TV Festival, offering access to sessions, masterclasses and workshops led by industry professionals
• Briefings about the New Writers Collective, the TV Foundation’s programme for writers without representation, with fee waivers for up to x10 UofG applicants

Sophie Gattis, a Psychology and Digital Media & Information Studies graduate and Ellen Stone, a Film and Television Studies and Philosophy graduate, attended the 2025 Edinburgh TV Festival as part of The Network.

Two of only 25 delegates chosen from hundreds of applicants across the UK, Sophie and Ellen gained behind-the-scenes insights, attended masterclasses, and received one-to-one mentoring from industry professionals.

Their experience highlights the practical, creative, and professional opportunities our students access through their studies and our industry partnerships.

Learning, teaching & student experience

The TV Foundation partnership helps open the door to the wider TV industry by providing support for industry-led events and making introductions to key industry partners.

Research projects

The TV Foundation partnership has developed and supported joint research projects including support and placement offers for the James McCune Smith scholarship programme, opportunities for AHRC-funded PhD researchers, including a SGSAH-funded Collaborative Doctoral Award, and support for the UofG-RSE-funded Graduate Attributes project.

Other benefits

The TV Foundation partnership also brings additional benefits to staff, students and alumni from across the University including Digital Festival access, invitations to events such as AHTV: Engaging Academia in TV, and fast-track interviews for eligible UofG alumni for Changemakers and Visionaries, the TV Foundation’s career development programmes for more established industry professionals.

“I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Edinburgh TV Festival as part of the TV Foundation's new talent development programme, The Network. Alongside 49 other aspiring TV professionals, we spent four busy and inspiring days learning, collaborating, and growing together towards a shared goal.

During the festival, I took part in the MultiStory Media Unscripted Development workshop, where we were challenged to develop a creative idea for a new Channel 4.0 TV show within 48 hours. We then pitched our concept to a panel and live audience and received invaluable feedback. The Network also encouraged us to connect with industry professionals through various networking events and gave us the chance to attend thought-provoking lectures, including insightful talks from James Graham and Carol Vorderman.

Eva Le Flanchec, The Network 2024 Delegate and UofG alumna 2024