University Collaborations
Join us in providing ethical, fair-trade medical electives
Collaborating Universities
Fair Trade Electives works in collaboration with leading UK medical schools to support ethical, community-led global health electives.
We are proud to collaborate with the medical schools at:
Bangor University · University of Birmingham · University of Cambridge · University of Dundee · University of Edinburgh · King’s College London · University of Sheffield · University of Leeds
These collaborations reflect a shared commitment to high-quality, academically aligned electives that centre local leadership and fair-trade principles.
Students from our collaborating universities can book their placements further in advance and are eligible for our early-booking discount, helping to make ethical electives more accessible.
Who we are working with
Our placement programmes
Why universities choose to work with Fair Trade Electives
Ethically Led Placement Design
Our elective programmes are based on fair trade principles, ensuring that placements are designed to benefit both students and the host communities.
Minimal Impact on University Workflow
We match students to elective opportunities while ensuring the usual oversight and responsibility structures at your university remain unchanged.
Enhanced Student Experience
Students will receive comprehensive support including pre-departure preparation, basic in-country emergency advice, and placement certification through our quality assurance system.
Quality Assurance
We ensure high standard placements, leveraging student feedback, MOU agreements, and ongoing dialogue with partner sites to maintain quality.
Opportunities for Academic Research
We are keen to facilitate medical education research, allowing universities to expand the literature on global health placements and involve students in impactful research projects
Tailored Placement Programs
FTE offers diverse placement options designed to fit the academic goals of your students while promoting responsbile and sustainable practices.
- Clinical: Electives in a variety of clinical settings, focusing on hands-on experience under professional supervision.
- Public Health and Community based: Partnerships with local healthcare organisations provide students with a broad understanding of healthcare systems in the Global South.
- Medical schools: For those interested specialised or diverse clinical experiences, research initiatives and engaging with local students.
How Partnerships Work
How We Support Your Students
Comprehensive Student Support
FTE ensures that your students are fully supported before, during, and after their electives:
- Pre-departure Preparation: We offer thorough pre departure guidance materials, including travel, visa, and cultural information, ensuring students are well-prepared. FTE students are required to complete online modules designed to develop their global health awareness and focus them on optimising their experiences. FTE’s student support, preparation, and guidance will complement and remain secondary to that provided by the university
- In-country Emergency Support: While universities maintain their usual responsibilities, we will ensure hosts are aware of their role and have the information required to help. FTW provides basic emergency advice and ensures students know how to access local resources and support. Your usual emergency and insurance arrangements will remain unaffected.
- Quality Assurance and Feedback: Students are required to provide detailed feedback on their placements. This helps us maintain high standards and improve the programme continually.
- Placement Documentation: FTE handles the administrative tasks to smooth things for all parties, ensuring the necessary documentation is completed and provided to meet university requirements in a timely way.
Quality Assurance System based on Fair Trade Principles
Our Quality Assurance System goes beyond what is currently available to universities and students. We ensure that:
- Placements are all based on fair trade learning principles.
- Placements are selected based on positive student feedback and trusted recommendations.
- MoUs are established with hosts, clarifying expectations and responsibilities.
- FTE requires structured feedback from students for every placement, which feeds into our systematic monitoring process.
- We maintain dialogue with host sites to assist in their development, ensuring the placements remain beneficial for both students and communities.
- FTE has a graded intervention system in place, including removal of host sites if necessary, ensuring ongoing quality.
- If a placement is disrupted, we can arrange alternative electives within our pool of providers.
- Our long-term vision includes offering FTE certification to other placement providers, helping them adopt our fair-trade principles and more ethical practices.
How it works for Universtities
1. Initial Consultation
We begin with a conversation with your elective lead to outline how the Fair Trade Electives model works, understand your current processes, and ensure alignment with your academic and governance requirements.
2. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
We then agree a clear MoU that sets out roles, responsibilities, communication pathways and expectations. This ensures transparency for universities, partner institutions and students.
3. Minimal Change to Existing Processes
Fair Trade Electives acts as the facilitating agent, coordinating placements while your usual approval, oversight and duty-of-care structures remain unchanged. Students continue to apply for elective approval through your existing system and follow your risk management and insurance requirements.
Students will sign up and pay for placements just as they do now, with FTE processing these payments on behalf of the hosts
4. Ongoing Collaboration and Engagement
We welcome continued engagement, from sharing information with students travelling to the Global South to supporting those who wish to participate in fundraising for partner institutions.
We encourage universities to promote FTE as an ethical elective option and contribute to evaluations and learning
Our approach is designed to be low-burden, transparent and values-aligned.
University Collaborations
