UUKi and Mitacs extend UK-Canada research partnership and celebrate student success

This will create more opportunities for UK undergraduates to gain research experience in Canada and further strengthen UK-Canada research ties.  

The GRI programme offers undergraduate students a rare opportunity to complete a fully funded 12-week summer research internship at a Canadian university. Under this new agreement, the scheme will provide research placements for an additional three years, with UUKi continuing to serve as the UK delivery partner.  

The agreement was signed at the High Commission of Canada on 23 May 2025. The event brought together senior leaders from both organisations, including Mitacs CEO Dr Stephen Lucas, Vice President David Enriquez, and Jamie Arrowsmith, Director of UUKi. They were joined by representatives from UK universities and past GRI students who shared their experiences and spoke about the scheme’s life-changing impact.  

This announcement comes as 121 students from 18 UK universities have gained places on this year’s programme, with internships taking place between May and October 2025. These students join a growing community of over 700 UK undergraduates from more than 30 UUKi member institutions who have completed GRI placements since its launch in 2019.  

For more than five years, the partnership between Mitacs and UUKi has enabled UK students to collaborate with Canadian researchers to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges – from climate change and public health to advanced engineering and artificial intelligence.  

As well as contributing to impactful research, recent analysis from UUKi shows that international mobility experiences benefit students both during and after their degrees. On average, students who go abroad gain improved academic outcomes, enhanced employment prospects and higher graduate salaries.

Jamie Arrowsmith, Director of Universities UK International, commented:  

A new call for expressions of interest from universities to take part in the 2025-26 GRI scheme is now open, with applications for students opening in August 2025. For more information, please see our Globalink Research Internship page and contact UUKi at [email protected].

About Universities UK International (UUKi)  

UUKi represents UK higher education institutions (HEIs) globally and helps them flourish internationally. UUKi promotes UK HEIs abroad, provides trusted information, and creates new opportunities through sector-level collaboration. Learn more at universitiesuk.ac.uk/international.  

About Mitacs  

Mitacs is a not-for-profit organisation that connects businesses and researchers, providing access to talent, funding, and partnerships to drive innovation and productivity in Canada. Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, provincial governments, Innovation PEI, and academic and industry partners. For more information, visit mitacs.ca.