News: New Weidenfeld Scholarship scheme announced for Oxford

20 March 2007

A new scholarship scheme to provide financial support for the leaders of tomorrow in their graduate studies has been announced by Oxford University and the Weidenfeld Institute for Strategic Dialogue, London.

The Weidenfeld Scholarships are designed to complement the University’s existing range of scholarships, including the famous Rhodes Scholarships. The programme will be open to candidates primarily from Eastern Europe (including Russia), North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Around 25 Scholarships will be awarded each year in the first three to five years of the scheme, with financial support to cover all University tuition fees and living costs - amounting to £25,000 per annum for each student.

The programme also aims to foster active regional networks with the wider European neighbourhood and promote the post-university careers of its Scholars through work placements, long-term mentoring, and engagement in leadership and conference programmes. Postgraduate research students will be expected to undertake a pro bono project in the UK or their home country during the long vacation. The Scholars selected for the programme are expected to return to their country of origin in due course and play a significant leadership role in public life in their own countries or internationally.

The Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, Dr John Hood, said: ‘Oxford is a truly international university and the presence of overseas students who can contribute new perspectives and different experiences is an important element. We are enormously grateful to the Weidenfeld Institute for procuring this generous support from a single donor and for the vision for this new programme, which will help to ensure that Oxford continues to play a role in educating and shaping future leaders’.

Lord Weidenfeld, President of the Weidenfeld Institute, commented: ‘Oxford University has a worldwide reputation for nurturing the leaders of the future, and so the idea of a supporting a major Scholarship programme for graduate students was a natural choice. Ultimately, however, we aim to expand the number and possibly the geographical reach of the scholarship programme, and to acquire a property in Oxford to serve as a base for Weidenfeld Scholars. We look forward to supporting, and developing a lasting relationship with, the first cohort of Weidenfeld Scholars who will start at Oxford in October.’

The inaugural year-group of Weidenfeld Scholars will be selected in the next few months from amongst those eligible students who have already been accepted for a Master’s or Doctoral course at Oxford, starting in October 2007.

The Weidenfeld Institute is a London-based policy organization working with leaders in business, politics, and the media to bridge international and inter-communal divides. It runs a series of policy fora and projects, including the Franco-British-German Club of Three, which address long-term social and political challenges and foster Europe’s relations with its neighbours, with Russia, the US and the Middle East.

For more information please contact the University Press Office on 01865 280530 or email press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk

The Weidenfeld Institute for Strategic Dialogue
Tel: 020 7493 9333
Fax: 020 7493 4909
Email: info@clubofthree.com

Notes for Editors:

The Weidenfeld Scholarships are open to graduate students (i.e. those who have already been awarded a BA or equivalent by a university other than Oxford), and who have been accepted by Oxford to read for a postgraduate degree.

It is expected that the first cohort of Weidenfeld Scholars will be announced by July 2007.

Scholars will be selected on the basis of their CVs, academic references and declarations by the candidates about their future career intentions. Around two to three candidates will be shortlisted for interview in Oxford for each available place. Travel expenses will be met for those invited to take part in the selection weekend.

Scholarships can be awarded to support any graduate course of study offered by the University, however preference may be given to candidates in subjects for which other courses of funding are either not available or in short supply.

A Governing Body for the new scholarship programme will be established as a sub-group of the Weidenfeld Institute’s Board of Trustees. It will be co-chaired by Sir Ronald Grierson representing the donor and Michael Lewis, both members of the Weidenfeld Institute’s Board.

A Selection Committee, drawn from an Academic Advisory Board, will have responsibility for interviewing and electing the Scholars.