Ecclesiastical Insurance and University College London extend partnership to support next generation of heritage leaders

Specialist heritage insurer Ecclesiastical Insurance has pledged a further £72,500 to University College London (UCL) to support the development of heritage leaders. 

Since 2004 Ecclesiastical Insurance has donated over £350,000 to UCL to offer scholarships that support students studying the Sustainable Heritage MSc. 

The Sustainable Heritage MSc teaches heritage management and conservation best practice. The course introduces students to conservation policies, projects, methodologies and practices in the context of historic buildings, sites, landscapes and collections.

This latest donation will fund the Ecclesiastical Insurance Scholarship for a further three years within the UCL Institute of Sustainable Heritage. The scholarships cover tuition fees as well as some living and travel costs.

Students who have completed the course have gone on to take significant leadership positions in the heritage sector including at English Heritage and The Churches Conservation Trust. 

Faith Kitchen, Customer Segment Director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “As the leading insurer of Grade I Listed buildings in the UK, the protection of heritage skills is hugely important to us. We’re involved in a range of projects aimed at preserving the UK’s magnificent historic places and paving the way for the creation of our future heritage. We’re delighted to continue to support the University College London’s Sustainable Heritage MSc which nurtures the next generation of heritage leaders.” 

Professor May Cassar CBE from UCL said: “As the first cross-disciplinary programme to bring together outstanding students from across the heritage sector and beyond to study Sustainable Heritage, we are delighted with the continuing financial support of Ecclesiastical Insurance. These scholarships ensure that funding is not an impediment to promising students who wish to further their ambition of becoming future heritage leaders. Since 2004 we have witnessed the positive difference that Ecclesiastical has made to so many students and the wider opportunities Ecclesiastical is providing to build capacity within the heritage sector.”

Tracy Stringfellow, Chief Executive Officer at Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust and former student, said: “Without the Ecclesiastical Insurance Scholarship I would not have been in a position to fund my studies. The support from Ecclesiastical enabled me to develop my skills, learn from great academic and sector leaders, and benefit from meeting people in the heritage sector from all over the world. The program is hugely flexible so I was able to study Sustainable Heritage while working full time which was invaluable. A blend of academic studies and practical hands on experience during a two week placement in Malta, I was able to apply these learnings directly to my day to day work.” 

Ecclesiastical is a proud supporter of heritage skills. The insurer sponsors The Prince’s Foundation Building Crafts Programme and Building Arts Programme and the Cathedral Workshop Fellowship (CWF), which provides a degree level qualification in stonemasonry. 

Ecclesiastical published its latest Impact Report to celebrate some of the many good causes it has helped.

For further information visit www.ecclesiastical.com