Celebrating 10 years of Equity and Merit

This week the University celebrated ten years of a scholarship which has seen more than 200 students studying here before returning to their home countries in Africa and Asia to transform communities.

The Equity and Merit scholarships enable students from some of the world’s poorest countries to take a postgraduate course that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford and that gives them the skills to address a specific problem in their home countries.

A celebratory event, at the University and hosted by Chancellor, Lemn Sissay, will feature many of the students and graduates funded by the scholarship. These included Dr Felix Bongomin from Uganda who studied for an MSc Medical Mycology and is leading research to help combat fungal infections associated with HIV. The scholarships are jointly funded by the University and its donors. The University covers the tuition fee in full and the generosity of donors covers students’ living costs, flights to the UK and visas.

As part of the celebrations a special book has been commissioned which profiles the amazing stories of students and donors and how they’ve changed lives in their communities, as well as the wider context in which the scheme operates. It includes contributions from leading academics such as Professor David Hulme, Executive Director of the University’s Global Development Institute.

Since Equity and Merit began, a total of 203 scholarships have been awarded to exceptional individuals who have demonstrated both academic excellence and a commitment to the economic or social development of their home communities.

For more information about Equity and Merit and the 10th anniversary celebrations please see the Tenth Anniversary webage.