Shorelight Launches Partnership With Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University UK
By Shorelight Team
Last updated on June 7, 2023

The addition of Heriot-Watt University marks Shorelight's first collaboration outside the US and will allow Shorelight students to study at campuses in Scotland, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates.

This image shows Shorelight's company logo: a traditional fishing-style lantern in orange.

Shorelight today announced that Heriot-Watt University, based in Edinburgh Scotland, has joined Shorelight to mark the company’s first expansion into the UK and diversify locations for Shorelight students to receive a world-class education. Shorelight and Heriot Watt University’s collaboration will expand access to Heriot-Watt degree programs and attract a diverse range of students to its Global College, which was launched last year as the University’s sixth academic school.

The collaboration with Heriot-Watt University is Shorelight’s only one in the UK and is expected to help expand the University’s global footprint and cement its reputation as a destination for international students.

"We're thrilled to be helping Heriot-Watt and the Global College create life-changing opportunities for international students and to reach their student recruitment goals, Tom Dretler, Shorelight's Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, said. "We say our mission at Shorelight is to help educate the world – and our partnership with Heriot-Watt is another step on that ambitious journey." 

Shorelight will help support Heriot-Watt students through their entire journey, from selecting a university and arriving on campus – or engaging online from their home country – to graduation and beginning their careers.  Shorelight has a market presence in over 200 countries and a vast network of more than 7,000 distribution points across agencies, schools, and counselors.

“We are looking forward to working with Shorelight and building on their expertise and global network of leading higher education experts. Their exclusive technology and service platform will enable us to further grow international recruitment and enrollment rates,” Lucy Everest, Heriot-Watt’s Global Chief Operating Officer, said. “We are fortunate to have around 27,000 students from 160 countries currently studying at the University. Our ambition is to provide inclusive access to higher education with innovative student support models that enhance student learning and success outcomes.”

The recently established Heriot-Watt’s Global College aims to widen access to education globally through pathway programs at foundation and pre-masters levels into University degree programs, while delivering an excellent student learning experience. 

“We offer clear pathways and progression routes into Heriot-Watt programs, combining academic English and study skills with discipline-specific learning. The partnership with Shorelight is an important step forward in achieving our goal of providing an outstanding education to an even more diverse range of students from all over the world,” Professor Anna Fenge, Executive Dean of Global College, said.