Our Events:
2024 and 2025
2024
AUGUST
08/08
Meet the Distiller, London
22/08
Age of AI: How to Survive and Thrive in the Working World, Global
SEPTEMBER
25/09
Fiona Watson Memorial Fund 20th Anniversary, Edinburgh
26/09
Emeritus Professors Lunch, Edinburgh
28/09
Washington, D.C. Meet Up, USA
OCTOBER
16/10
Launch of our Shaping Futures Campaign, Global
NOVEMBER
09/11
HWU Music presents “Autumn Leaves” at Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh
28/11
The Winter Reception at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
2025
JANUARY
17/01
Shaping Futures Dinner, Singapore
19/01
Global Watt Day, Global
20/01
Shaping Futures Dinner, Malaysia
MARCH
26/03
Shaping Futures Dinner at the House of Lords, London
APRIL
05/04
New York Tartan Parade, USA
08/04
New York Reception, USA
10/04
Houston Reception, USA
MAY
10/05
HWU Music Spring Concert at Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh
30/05
HWU Annual Stakeholder Meeting, Global
JUNE
09/06
Celebrating our Shaping Futures Campaign, Global
Fiona Watson Memorial Fund – 20th Anniversary Celebration
September 2024, Heriot-Watt University
In September 2024, former Fiona Watson interns reunited with the Watson family and staff from Heriot-Watt University for a heartfelt and celebratory event.
The year 2023 marked two decades since Fiona Watson tragically lost her life in the bombing of a UN building in Baghdad. In her memory, the Fiona Watson Memorial Fund was established and, in 2004, the first intern was sent to the United Nations, beginning a legacy that has now continued for over twenty years. The Fund has supported exceptional students from Heriot-Watt’s Languages School to undertake three-month internships at the UN headquarters in New York, helping launch exciting and diverse careers.
In addition, the Fiona Watson Memorial Fund has funded almost 40 humanitarian grants as well as the Watson-Currie PhD on detection of water-borne pathogens. The grants have enabled Heriot-Watt students to travel across the world to countries including India, Nepal, Tanzania, and Uganda to teach English, provide life-saving first aid training, and volunteer with mental health support groups.
Fiona Watson working in the field.
Global launch of our Shaping Futures Campaign.
The Winter Reception
November 2024, National Museum of Scotland
Each year the Development and Alumni Office (DAO) hosts our landmark event: the Winter Reception. In 2024 we returned to the beautiful National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh to celebrate our supporters who helped shape futures in 2024. Over 80 donors and friends joined us to enjoy drinks and canapés while hearing from Dr Lauren McWhinnie about her incredible research (see WAVE Project article for more). We were also delighted to share information on our newly launched campaign. A stirring festive performance from the Heriot-Watt Chamber Choir rounded off a lovely evening.
US Development and Alumni Receptions (and the Tartan Parade!)
April 2025, New York City. NY and Houston, TX
In April 2025, we once again ventured across the pond for our annual trip to the USA, where we had the genuine pleasure of meeting dozens of our American friends and supporters. We hosted receptions (with exciting key-note speakers from our Health and Care Technologies Global Research Institute) in New York City and Houston, Texas, and, on top of that, got to break out the Heriot-Watt tartan for New York’s famous Tartan Parade. Thanks to all who came along and made these events so special! We’re already looking forward to next year.
Dr Lauren McWhinnie at the 2024 Winter Reception in Edinburgh.
Heriot-Watt University alumni at the Tartan Parade, New York.
To learn more about events at Heriot-Watt University, please contact Senior Development Executive Eve MacDonald at e.macdonald@hw.ac.uk.
