This page contains information on the Andrew John Williamson Memorial Trust.
On 20th April 1982, the Andrew John Williamson Memorial Trust was created by his parents in memory of Andrew Williamson, a Politics student at the University of Stirling, who had tragically died in 1981. The Trust was established for:
‘the promotion of human welfare through the education of the public in the understanding, appreciation and development of political thought and ideas, and without prejudice to the foregoing generality‘
The Trust supports two main activities:
Travel scholarships for students of Political Studies at the University of Stirling
Andrew’s parents sought to keep his memory alive by offering a helping hand to other students studying Politics who might wish to travel in order to pursue an interest of a political nature.
The Andrew John Williamson Memorial Trust travel scholarship has been reopened for applications for all final year students taking a single or combined undergraduate degree in Politics, International Politics, or PPE. Students are welcome to submit applications connected to their final year dissertation, though any project arising from an individual’s own special interest will be acceptable.
Please do take note of the following information carefully when determining if you will apply:
- Your proposed travel must be outside the UK and outside your home country.
- You must supply contact details of a referee who has knowledge of your academic studies and your Scholarship proposal. Unsupported applications will not be considered. Make sure you ask their permission and outline your proposal to them. Failure to supply a referee will render your application ineligible.
- The value of the scholarship award will be decided by the Board of Trustees but is unlikely to exceed £1400 and will depend on the number and quality of applications.
- The successful recipient will be required to undertake an overseas travel risk assessment prior to travel. You should note that the Board of Trustees will not approve travel in parts of the world that are considered unsafe or unstable. Students are strongly advised to check FCDO travel guidance before submitting their application.
- Applications will not be accepted for retrospective funding, nor for travel undertaken on or after 24 June 2025.
- Scholarship recipients will be required to submit a short written report on their activities. Receipts for all expenditure will be required.
Applicants should complete the application form below and email this to historyandpolitics@stir.ac.uk by no later than 5pm on 30 September 2024. Successful applicants will be notified of the Board of Trustees’ decisions by 7 October.
The Williamson Lecture
The Andrew John Williamson Memorial Lecture was established in 1983 with the aim of bringing a high-profile political speaker to the University each year to speak on a theme of contemporary political interest.
The 2024 lecture – ‘Populism in a Parliamentary Democracy’ – was delivered by the Right Hon. David Gauke on Thursday 18 April 2024
David Gauke is a British political commentator, solicitor and former politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South West Hertfordshire from 2005 to 2019. He served in the Cameron Government as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from 2010 to 2014 and Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 2014 to 2016. During the formation of the May Government in July 2016, he was appointed to the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, where he remained until being appointed Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in 2017. Gauke was appointed Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor in January 2018. He resigned on 24 July 2019 following the Conservative Party leadership election.
See also the recorded 2023 lecture by Alistair Campbell. The University’s coverage of the event – “You have to change this” – recounts Campbell’s hope for young people (including Stirling students) to lead new action on politics, from protest to seeking election. The lecture is introduced by Dr James Naughtie, former Chancellor of the University of Stirling and presenter of the 2014 Williamson Lecture, who provides a short history of the Andrew John Williamson Memorial Trust:
Edited by Paul Cairney 04.9.24