Beyond the Index: Supporting Access to Education for Displaced Students

By Mike Head & Jonny White, Senior Advisers to The Justice Company

At The Justice Company, our work is rooted in a belief that respect for human rights, dignity and opportunity should not be abstract principles. While our primary focus is the development of transparent, rules-based methodologies that help investors better understand corporate conduct, we are equally committed to supporting initiatives that deliver tangible social impact.

Through The Justice Company Humanitarian Foundation, a portion of the platform’s fees is directed towards charitable causes that align with our mission and values. We are proud to support organisations and programmes that help expand opportunity, strengthen resilience and improve outcomes for individuals and communities facing significant challenges.

One such initiative is University College London’s (UCL) Global Engagement Scholars programme. 

In the 2025/26 academic year, the Foundation contributed £178,000 to support six postgraduate students from Gaza who were able to continue their studies at UCL through the UK Government’s facilitated departure programme for fully funded university scholars.

The funding covered each student’s tuition fees, accommodation and living costs, removing financial barriers that might otherwise have prevented them from accessing higher education. For students whose academic journeys and future aspirations had been profoundly disrupted by conflict and displacement, the scholarships provided far more than financial support. They offered stability, possibility and the opportunity to continue building towards their professional ambitions.

The six scholars are pursuing postgraduate studies across a range of disciplines, including Child Health, Translation and Technology, Business Analytics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Despite the challenges they have faced, each student has demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination in embracing the opportunities available to them.

The impact of the programme is already becoming clear. Two of the scholars, both qualified medical doctors, are preparing for General Medical Council examinations with the aim of practising within the NHS. Other students have made significant academic progress, with UCL encouraging dissertation research to be developed further into potential doctoral study due to its originality and academic merit. One scholar has already secured an internship opportunity within the field of Business Analytics, while another is exploring additional teaching qualifications to complement their degree.

Beyond academic achievement, the programme has helped students establish a sense of belonging and community. Through their studies and wider university life, they have been able to build new networks, develop friendships and begin rebuilding pathways towards their futures.

As part of its commitment to becoming a University of Sanctuary, UCL works to remove barriers that prevent displaced students from accessing and completing higher education. The Justice Company Humanitarian Foundation’s support has contributed directly to that effort, helping ensure that talented individuals are able not only to continue their studies, but to flourish within them. 

We are grateful to UCL for its partnership and proud to support a programme that demonstrates the transformative power of education. By investing in access to learning and opportunity, we hope to help create pathways for talented individuals to realise their potential, regardless of the circumstances they have faced.