Toucan Ventures is home to the Toucan Project, which helps to support students in building better lives with access to education, vocational training, and internship opportunities. Aiding students from disadvantaged backgrounds, Toucan Ventures’ project ensures that they are each welcomed into this community of Toucan Fellows. Here we highlight visionary leader Dr Rasha Saïd for her dedication to the business’ mission. Higher Education Visionary of the Year 2025: Rasha Saïd & Community Empowerment Excellence Award 2025 Toucan Ventures Building Better Lives As Founder of Toucan Ventures, and CoChair of The Saïd Foundation, Dr Rasha Saïd’s goal is to spread the word in addition to providing the best opportunities for disadvantaged individuals around the world. With a rich academic background herself, Rasha wishes to share her experiences with other people. Although studying medicine at college, she swiftly came up with the idea of leading a business which helps people to receive the education and opportunities that they deserve. She told us that this was something she expected to build, but the more she has developed the company the more she has realised how integral it is to communities and society as a whole. Empowering people to make a positive change in the world, by providing access to the education everyone should receive if they wish, Rasha and her team at Toucan Ventures work tirelessly to partner with an ecosystem of trusted partners. These partnerships are collaborative and highly ambitious to ensure that individuals can receive the higher education they need to be vocal as the #nextgen of global leaders. Pairing with universities and foundations to create an online world of micro universities for micro courses, Toucan Ventures brings the best education to students around the world. In addition, these micro universities extend to physical spaces for students to learn, collaborate, and expand their horizons. These universities can also be built anywhere around the globe and, therefore, this blended education approach continues to enrich the lives of many disadvantaged students who may not have had access to higher education at all, or to this degree. This blended education angle, stemming from Toucan Ventures’ desire to offer its best-in-class services, has made many partnerships possible as well as unwaveringly strong. Rasha told us that she is always excited and very aligned with the company’s pursuit of excellence and purpose which results in sharing conversations, shared learning, and the Toucan Project’s all-encompassing service. Rasha is immensely grateful for the partnerships that mean the micro universities mentioned are possible. Working with the UNHCR, DAFI, The King’s Trust, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, and more, Toucan Ventures continues to offer the support required to shine a light on students and partners while delivering exceptional and high quality work. Rasha also enjoys being on the same page as a platform, so that her work, and the work of the entire company including its partnerships, makes a true impact. As some UK universities look to merge, which may be an emerging trend due to a lack of funding, Rasha commented that Toucan Ventures, and its community, needs extra support in the sector. The business is working hard to come up with solutions to this as it collaborates with many different partners. She believes that we all need to stick together for the greater good of the future ahead – keeping the future generations in mind, as they will be our future leaders and influencers. As more partners and collaborations are needed, while upkeeping the high standards of higher education and internship opportunities, Rasha is truly proud of what this project is achieving so far. This is a time of sticking together and shining a light on each other’s brilliance. She always wishes to shine a light on those businesses and business models, celebrating success and not competing. As Toucan Ventures pushes to collaborate not compete, the future is looking increasingly bright for students across the map especially as they will be the individuals and communities shaping the way our society operates. Rasha is an optimist at heart who turns challenges into windows for opportunity. She ensures that everyone is on the same page, sharing a common vision and language. Whether that’s for students, women in work, or simply anyone looking to partner up with Toucan Ventures to change the world for the better. “If you see something that’s a natural obstacle, nothing is impossible.” We’re delighted to celebrate Rasha’s success in our programme as Higher Education Visionary of the Year 2025, and we’re also proud to award her with our Community Empowerment Excellence Award 2025. Here’s to a better future ahead as Toucan Ventures creates more opportunities for individuals who will inevitably become #nextgen leaders for our world. Contact: Dr Rasha Saïd Company: Toucan Ventures Website: https://thetoucanproject.com/ AIM-Aug25140
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