Professor Graham Galbraith

Navitas seems very integrated. It’s really a part of the core business of the university and I think that’s what makes it very special. 

Hi, I’m Professor Graham Galbraith and I’m Vice Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth and I’ve been enrolled as Vice Chancellor for 11 years. 

When and how did your university come to partner with Navitas? 

Well, interestingly, even before I arrived at the University of Portsmouth, I knew about Navitas because I’d worked with Navitas and other universities around the UK. But it was a real pleasure to see that already there was a five-year strong relationship with Navitas. And so it’s been a long-term partnership and every year it grows and every year it becomes stronger. 

What has been a highlight of your time with Navitas?  

I think the people are fantastic. I think the team here in Portsmouth are fantastic. And I think that what I enjoy is the fact that Navitas seems very integrated with what we do at the university. So, it’s not seen as a rival or a competitor. It’s really a part of the core business of the university and I think that’s what makes it very special. 

But obviously with Navitas being a bigger group, having intelligence on what’s happening in international recruitment around the world and also being able to be introduced to other partners around the world is really good. And the sort of international meetings that they have regularly, you know, it keeps you in touch with other universities and what they are doing and how they are approaching international student recruitment and support. 

How has partnering with Navitas made an impact on the university?  

Well, of course it’s made a huge impact to our international profile, which of course is why we partnered in the first place. And, I think those students to study with Navitas, most of them end up going on to study then with the university. So, it provides that entry point into the university for international students that we wouldn’t otherwise have. And I think it gives us access to markets and students from different countries that we wouldn’t ordinarily have done if we hadn’t got the partnership with Navitas. 

What key achievements come to mind during the partnership with Navitas?  

Look, I think we’ve achieved a lot together over the years. But I think for me one of the highlights was our relationship with Edith Cowan University in Australia, Edith Cowan being also a Navitas partner. And so, we were brought together really because of that common thread of Navitas. And it’s resulted in, I think sector-first joint programs that allow students to graduate both from the University of Portsmouth and from Edith Cowan University. And that’s one of the first in the UK. And to navigate the different regulatory systems, I think that’s an example of where being part of the Navitas group and family introduces opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise have been there. 

What would you say to a university considering partnering with Navitas?  

Look, I think international student recruitment and understanding what’s happening in international markets gets more and more difficult I think every single year. And yet there’s massive opportunities. And I think, you know, working with Navitas, I think is, is a bold and sensible move because they’re great to work with. 

So, they feel like part of the university and they genuinely enhance what we’re able to do and the reach that the university has international markets. So, I would thoroughly recommend Navitas as an excellent partner to work with.