Celebrating Global Impact: 2026 U21 Awards and Leaders of the Future Winners Announced in Glasgow
29 April 2026
We are delighted to announce that the 2026 U21 Award and U21 Leaders of the Future Award winners were revealed on 21 April at the Universitas 21 Annual Network Meeting and Leadership Summit, hosted by the University of Glasgow.
The U21 Awards continue to recognise outstanding staff contributions to internationalisation across the network, while the Leaders of the Future Awards celebrate students and recent alumni demonstrating exceptional potential to shape the future of global higher education.
This year saw a record-breaking number of nominations, with over 100 submissions highlighting the breadth and depth of impact across the U21 community. Following a rigorous judging process led by senior U21 stakeholders, we are proud to share the 2026 winners.
The U21 Award Winners
U21 Award – Inclusive Global Engagement
Dr Wuri Handayani, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Dr Wuri Handayani is an inspiring academic and advocate whose personal experience of disability has shaped a powerful commitment to advancing inclusion in higher education. She led the establishment of Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Disability Service Unit, a nationally recognised initiative that has transformed accessibility and enabled students with disabilities to thrive.
Her work spans institutional change and global collaboration, including partnerships with the University of Nottingham and contributions to U21’s EDI initiatives.
Wuri Handayani” is a Javanese phrase that signifies “to lead by empowering from behind.” Embodying the spirit of my name, I hope that the Inclusive Global Engagement Award will inspire inclusivity, amplify voices, and create spaces where everyone truly feels valued and heard.” – Dr Wuri Handayani
U21 Award – Climate Action
Professor Pamela Ronald, University of California, Davis
Professor Pamela Ronald is a globally recognised leader in plant genetics whose work is helping address one of the defining challenges of our time: food security in the face of climate change. Her co-development of Sub1 flood-tolerant rice has strengthened climate resilience for millions of farmers across Asia.
Alongside her scientific achievements, she is a passionate advocate for public engagement and sustainable agriculture.
On behalf of the talented, creative people in my lab, I am honored to accept this award. It is a privilege to be part of a global community of researchers working on one of the greatest challenges of our time. Thank you for this generous recognition.” – Professor Pamela Ronald
U21 Leaders of the Future Award – Current Student
Emma Etim, University of Nottingham
Emma Etim is an exceptional emerging scholar whose research explores how environmental responsibility is shaped across cultural, institutional, and behavioural systems. His work is already influencing international conversations on sustainability and policy.
Beyond research, Emma is committed to widening participation in higher education, mentoring students and working with The Brilliant Club to support underrepresented young people.
This recognition affirms my belief that research and academic work are most meaningful when they enable others to imagine new possibilities and contribute to meaningful change.” – Emma Etim
U21 Leaders of the Future Award – Recent Alumna
Deborah Adeniran, University of Glasgow
Deborah Adeniran is a Nigerian healthcare leader and founder of CancerAid_Africa, whose work has reached millions through cancer awareness, screening, and education programmes. As Programme Manager at the International Cancer Centre Abuja, she leads innovative healthcare initiatives addressing critical gaps in cancer care.
Receiving this award is a profound honour and a powerful reminder that the work we do matters. Every woman who has accessed screening, every healthcare worker we have trained, every life touched — this recognition belongs to them. I hope this inspires more young Africans to lead change from wherever they stand.” – Deborah Adeniran
Bringing Future Voices into the Leadership Conversation
A distinctive feature of this year’s awards was their connection to the inaugural U21 Leadership Summit, a two-day programme following the Annual Network Meeting that broadened the conversation to a more external audience. This year, we were delighted to invite our Leaders of the Future Award winners to take part, contributing directly to discussions alongside global higher education leaders and bringing student and recent alumni perspectives into critical conversations shaping the sector.
Emma Etim, University of Nottingham joined a panel on Wednesday 22nd April, “Opportunity for all: reimagining access to higher education”, contributing insights from his work on widening participation and his experience with The Brilliant Club. The session also featured prominent figures including Dame Katherine Grainger, Chancellor of the University of Glasgow and Nobel Laureate Sir David MacMillan, exploring how universities can better identify and nurture hidden talent.
Deborah Adeniran participated in the session on Thursday 23rd April “Earning Social Licence: Universities as Civic Powerhouses in a Distrustful Age”, where she brought a powerful civic and healthcare perspective to discussions on trust, public value, and institutional responsibility.
On congratulating the award winners, Professor Jenny Dixon, Provost of Universitas 21 commented: “The U21 Award and Leaders of the Future Awards recognise outstanding achievement across our network and the individuals driving meaningful global impact. We were particularly pleased that this year our Leaders of the Future awardees could contribute directly to discussions at the University of Glasgow’s Leadership Summit, bringing fresh perspectives into conversations shaping higher education.”