SRUC selected for Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education USA Exchange
SRUC livestock experts have been selected to take part in a prestigious international programme designed to strengthen academic collaboration between the UK and the United States.
They will join scientists from seven other UK institutions in the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education: USA Exchange 2026.
The announcement follows SRUC being awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education for the third time, placing it among few Scottish institutions to have received the honour on more than two occasions.
The USA Exchange will take place in Washington DC in October and will bring together representatives from UK Prize-winning institutions with US academics working in different fields. The group will be hosted by American University, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).
The programme aims to support the development of long-term partnerships with a legacy for education, research and innovation.
During the Exchange, SRUC will focus on strengthening transatlantic collaboration in livestock genetics, data integration and artificial intelligence, building on its internationally recognised work in sustainable and climate-smart food systems.
Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, said: “Selection for the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education USA Exchange recognises the quality, relevance and impact of SRUC’s work. Being awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education for a third time was a huge achievement and reflects the commitment of our staff and partners to delivering research and education that benefits Scotland and the wider world.”
SRUC was previously awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education in 2017 for a genetics research programme demonstrating how selective breeding could increase milk yields while reducing methane emissions. Its most recent award recognises the impact of the Scottish Farm Business Survey, which has been informing agricultural policy and practice in Scotland for almost a century.
Sir Damon Buffini, Chair of the Royal Anniversary Trust said: “The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education: USA Exchange is a landmark initiative, launched in a year of historical significance on both sides of the Atlantic. Honouring Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s enduring legacy in education and diplomacy, the programme brings together the very best of UK academic excellence with leading minds in the United States. By convening Prize-winning alumni institutions in Washington DC, the Exchange creates an unparalleled platform for forging ambitious transatlantic partnerships with a lasting global impact.”
The USA Exchange will be delivered by the Royal Anniversary Trust in 2026, a year marking both the 100th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, founding patron of the Prizes, and the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.
More information is available on the Royal Anniversary Trust website – www.royalanniversarytrust.org.uk
Posted by SRUC on 14/01/2026
