A seven-strong delegation of University of Bath students and staff visited the One Young World Summit 2025 in Munich this month, reinforcing the institution's position as the organisation's longest-standing university partner.

Four current students - Ellie Burns (Humanities & Social Sciences), Eleanor Timberlake (Science), Kaash Cowie (Engineering & Design), and Khushi Sikand (Management) - representing the University’s faculties and School of Management, joined alumna Rebecca Rowney, Emily Richards (HSS) and Julian Chaudhuri (PVC Education) at the landmark event, which brought together over 2,000 young leaders from more than 190 countries from 3-6 November.

Global figures including Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Maria Ressa and Tawakkol Karman, Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Terry Crews and Rio Ferdinand joined UN leaders, CEOs of global businesses and young activists in presenting keynote speeches and interactive panels.

The flagship outcome of Bath's partnership with One Young World is the One Young World Bath Forum, an annual student-led campus event that translates global insights into local action, regularly attracting over 150 attendees.

The delegation will bring their Summit experiences home to campus when the University hosts its next Forum on Saturday 21 March, 2026. The event will celebrate 10 years of partnership between Bath and One Young World, and bring together hundreds of Bath students who have engaged with One Young World.

During the event the University will award an Honorary Degree to Kate Robertson, co-founder and CEO of One Young World.

Find out more about next year’s Forum here.

A pioneering partnership

Bath first worked with One Young World in 2013 and has become its longest running university partner. Since then, the relationship has enabled annual student delegations to attend the global Summit while creating lasting leadership infrastructure on campus.

One Young World is a global forum dedicated to building a fair and sustainable future for all. Since 2009, its network of over 18,700 Ambassadors has impacted more than 58.5 million people worldwide, with independent research showing £16 in social value generated for every £1 invested.

From delegate to workshop leader

The Munich Summit showcased the sustained impact of Bath's approach. Rebecca Rowney, part of Bath's delegation to the Montreal summit in 2024, returned this year as a workshop facilitator, co-leading "OYW empowers — Creating a Refugee Mentoring Concept from the Bottom Up" with other young leaders she met at last year’s event.

"We gathered input on building bridges between displaced talent and inclusive career pathways through personalised mentoring," Rowney explained. "The idea was received really well. There were many great ideas we hadn't thought of—really highlighting the power of collaboration."

The Bath delegation also contributed to a panel discussion titled "Driving Impactful Leadership in Universities: Lessons from One Young World University of Bath Forum," chaired by Professor Julian Chaudhuri, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education). The session, which included Rebecca, Emily Richards (Head of Strategic Engagement, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences), and Antonia Vollet (Employer Relations Director, Swiss Education Group), explored transferable principles for building sustainable student leadership infrastructure.

Scaling the model

Bath is now working with One Young World to develop a Global University Network, enabling institutions worldwide to create their own local forums and embed leadership development into campus culture.

"Global challenges need informed, empathetic leaders," notes Professor Chaudhuri. "Universities are engines for social change and civic innovation. Student voice builds agency, confidence, and belonging. Our partnership with One Young World has proven that when you give students the infrastructure to lead—not just the inspiration—something powerful happens."

The timing couldn't be more critical. Today's students face unprecedented challenges, from climate crisis to geopolitical instability. Leadership opportunities support not just career development but wellbeing, building the agency and belonging essential for mental health in uncertain times.

Looking ahead

With the launch of the Global University Network, that transformation is poised to scale dramatically, creating year-round ecosystems of support for young leaders on campuses worldwide.

For more information, visit the One Young World website, follow @oywbath on Linkedin and Instagram, or contact Emily Richards.