A review of the last few months at the GCDC from Dr Beth Breeze
The past few years have been tough for everyone for obvious reasons: the Covid-19 pandemic, the ongoing environmental emergency, and heightened concern about racial- and social-justice have been joined, since early 2022, by the tragic consequences of Russia’s war on Ukraine. These are desperately difficult times for all those who are directly affected by these and other global problems, such as the over 70 million forcibly displaced people.
These multiple crises have reversed some progress that had been made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that sit at the heart of our purpose in the Global Challenges Doctoral Centre. Our talented doctoral students are all conducting challenge-led research that contributes to one or more of the SDGs that the global community is committed to meeting by 2030. We know we must all dig deeper and work harder to help make this global programme for international development move from rhetoric to reality.
Fortunately, amidst the gloom, we have lots of updates to share in this Summer 2022 edition of our Newsletter which help bring to life the efforts being undertaken by our extraordinary students. Two bring me particular delight that I want to mention here:
Firstly, we are celebrating the success of one of our first cohort, Huawei Zheng, who has achieved his PhD in Politics and International Relations. Dr Zheng’s thesis examines the Eurasian Economic Union as an evolving regional actor. You can read more about his success in this newsletter. We wish him every success for the next chapter of his life, and know that he will go on to use his knowledge, insights, networks and commitment to the SDGs, to help make the word a better place in both his professional and personal life. We’re so proud of you Huawei!
Secondly, we are extremely delighted and very grateful to share the news that we are able to recruit a new cohort of students due to the generosity of James Chen and his Chen Yet-Sen family foundation. Mr Chen is a well-regarded businessman and philanthropist who firmly believes that everyone should have access to vision correction, including optical tests and spectacles if needed. Over the past 18 years he has built successful collaborations with scientists, governments and non-governmental organisations, and has spent over $31 million of his own money in order to realise his philanthropic ‘mooonshot’ goal. In July 2020 his efforts resulted in all 193 members of the United Nations supporting a resolution pledging affordable eyecare for all by 2030. This expression of political will needs to be supported by practical means of implementation, which is where further research is needed. Two of our GCDC students will conduct doctoral projects that (1) identify and overcome stigma around wearing glasses, and (2) explore how more risk-taking philanthropic capital can be harnessed to increase funding pf the SDGs. The university will match Mr Chen’s extraordinarily generous support for two international students (covering fees living stipend and research support costs), by additionally funding two UK students to undertake challenge-led doctoral work that contributes to any of the SDGs. These four new scholarships will soon be advertised, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming four more of the brightest doctoral talent to our campus in January 2023.
These are indeed difficult times for so many people around the world. All of us involved in the University of Kent’s Global Challenges Doctoral Centre are glad that we are able to respond by putting our time and talents towards helping achieve solutions. Thank you for being with us on this journey.
Dr Beth Breeze
Director, Global Challenges Doctoral Centre