Unless you’ve been out of the country (!) you won’t have been able to miss the news from our students this week as they’ve been settling into their US home for the next two weeks, for the Yale Young Global Scholars Programme.

The bright sixth-formers are the first seven of 16 Seren pupils to join students from across the world on a life-changing summer programme, held at one of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions.

1,700 students, 126 countries, 50 US States

All part of the Seren Network, the students are joining more than 1,700 other students from 126 countries and 50 US states on Yale’s Young Global Scholars Programme (YYGS), at Yale University’s New Haven campus in the US, as part a new scholarship opportunity made possible through the Seren Network.

Earlier this week, Welsh Government Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams, joined the first group of pupils as she looks to build on links already made with the university through Seren.

The Education Secretary will also travel to both Harvard University and MIT in Boston to discuss new opportunities and collaborations.

Kirsty Williams said: “It is a huge success story for Seren that we’ve been able to broker a partnership which will see Yale’s renowned Young Global Scholars programme made accessible to students across Wales.

“I’m proud to be joining our first ever group of students to take part in this life-changing summer programme and look forward to making new links with other universities as we try to open new doors for many more of our students.

“I want every pupil in every school in every part of Wales to know that if you work hard then no academic opportunity is off-limits. I think this is a perfect example of what is possible and I want to thank all the sponsors involved in making this happen.”

The students represent 9 of the 11 Seren hubs including Anglesey-Gwynedd, Cardiff, EAS, RCT-Merthyr, Carms-Pembs, Vale of Glamorgan, Flintshire-Wrexham, Ceredigion, and Swansea.

Here’s Kirsty Williams catching up with Elli Rees from the Swansea hub about her experience of the Yale Young Global Scholars programme so far: