Jen Hyun and Michael Gallagher have pledged a legacy gift to the University of Edinburgh in support of scholarships, focusing on digital education, refugee and displaced students, studying abroad opportunities, and the University Library. Michael is Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Research in Digital Education, and together the couple are passionate about the power of education to transform lives.

What inspired you to support scholarships in these particular areas?

Jen: Looking back, study abroad programmes were stepping stones that helped me become who I am today. Spending time in France as a student was enriching, built my confidence, and shaped my professional path. But these opportunities often depend on having the means to take part. I want to help make sure that students with the desire to study abroad aren’t held back by financial barriers.

Michael: My first international experience came when I moved to Korea after finishing university — where I also met Jen. It changed everything: my sense of who I was, my place in the world, and the direction of my life. Universities have been the accelerant of our journeys and our growth. At a time when higher education is sometimes undervalued, we wanted to stand as proof that it matters deeply.

Why is supporting refugee and displaced students important to you?

Jen: This gift is, in many ways, a tribute to my late father, Dr Young Ho Hyun. He survived the Korean War, understood forced displacement firsthand, and dedicated his career as a doctor to helping others. He was a remarkable person — generous, thoughtful, and deeply committed to service. Supporting students who have lived through displacement feels like a way to honour his life and legacy.

Michael: My own academic work focuses heavily on refugee education. I co-direct the Centre for Research in Digital Education here at Edinburgh and work with organisations such as UNHCR, Cara, and the Education Beyond Borders group. For me, this is a core part of my career and my life’s work. Jen and I both believe higher education is a social good — a positive force that should be available to everyone.

Why did you choose Digital Education, Study Abroad, and the Library?

Michael: Digital Education is my academic home. It’s the programme I studied on, now teach in, and the reason we’re in Edinburgh. It transformed me, and it feels right to give something back to it.

Jen: For me, studying abroad is at the heart of my own journey — it gave me confidence, opened new possibilities, and shaped the path Michael and I eventually took together. Supporting this for others is something we feel strongly about.

Jen: The Library is special to me too. When we moved to Edinburgh, I spent a year using the Main Library as a base while planning my next career steps and studying for a qualification. It became a space for reflection, possibility, and growth. Libraries allow people to think, explore, and stumble their way forward — and I love the thought that one day, a student supported by our gift might be doing just that.

Michael: I couldn’t agree more. Libraries have been central to my life since childhood. They are places to get lost in books, to think deeply, and to move beyond the surface of things. They’re vital to what universities offer — and well worth supporting.

What would you say to others considering a legacy gift?

Jen: A legacy is a direct link to the future. It can make higher education possible for someone who might not otherwise have the chance. That one opportunity can transform a life — and in turn, their family and their community. It’s a lasting way to invest in the world.

Michael: As Hannah Arendt put it: “Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enough to assume responsibility for it… except for the coming of the new and the young, [ruin] would be inevitable.”

In Memory of Dr Young Ho Hyun

Jen and Michael’s decision to support refugee and displaced students is a tribute to Jen’s late father, Dr Young Ho Hyun.

A survivor of the Korean War, Dr Hyun experienced forced displacement first-hand. He went on to dedicate his career to medicine, working tirelessly to improve the lives of others.

Jen says:

“He was a devoted doctor, an astute historian, and a joy to be around. Supporting students who have lived through displacement feels like a way to honour his life and legacy. We miss him greatly — but this is one way we can carry his spirit forward.”

Supporting the University with a legacy

For more information on legacy giving, please see the information on our website:

Legacy giving

or contact Morag Murison, Head of Legacies and Planned Gifts:

• morag.murison@ed.ac.uk
• +44 (0)131 650 9637