ISLAMABAD: The Rhodes Trust on the 75th anniversary in Pakistan has announced that it is doubling the endowment fund for scholarship for the country, saying in the near future the scholarship numbers will be further increased.
This was stated by Elizabeth Kiss, Warden of Rhodes House and CEO of the Rhodes Trust while talking to a group of journalists, here on Friday. She said that considering the size of Pakistani population and the thirst for education, the Trust has decided to increase the number of scholarships from one to two while the organisation is seriously deliberating on a third scholarship.
She said that Pakistani Rhodes scholar alumnus, Mohammed Khaishgi, and Faheen Allibhoy are among the donors who have contributed permanently to a second Rhodes scholarship for students from Pakistan.
She said that the first Rhodes Scholar from Pakistan took up residence in Oxford in 1951, and since that time more than 70 citizens of Pakistan have been awarded this prestigious scholarship.
The Rhodes scholarship application process for Pakistan starts from the beginning of June till the end of August, with dates being specific and mentioned on the Rhodes website.
Introducing the Rhodes scholarship, she said that it was one of the oldest international post-graduate scholarships for students of Oxford University, dating back almost 120 years. A hundred years after the Trust was founded, Rhodes helped create the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, which finds, funds, and empowers young Africans to study in South Africa.
In 2016, we partnered with Atlantic Philanthropies to create the Atlantic Institute which empowers catalytic communities of emerging leaders to advance fairer, healthier, more inclusive societies. A year later, Rhodes helped launch Schmidt Science Fellows in partnership with Schmidt Futures, which believes in a vision of a world where interdisciplinary science flourishes without limit. Rhodes worked with Schmidt Futures again to create Rise, a program that supports brilliant students throughout their lives, starting at ages 15-17.
And in 2022, Rhodes partnered with Harris Manchester College to launch Oxford Next Horizons, a rich, six-month experience designed for mid to late-career participants from any field, who reflect, explore and imagine what’s next for them and the world. Additionally, the organization work together with Google for the Rise program which aims to transform students at a younger stage ranging from 16 to 18 years of age.
Over the past 75 years, Rhodes Scholars from Pakistan have consistently stood out. They include a prime minister, judges, scientists, business leaders, and much more.
Tanyah Hameed is one example of a Pakistani Rhodes Scholar who is creating a lasting impact in the field of public policy. Tanyah, who graduated from the University of Oxford in 2017 with her MPhil in Comparative Social Policy, now works as a public policy researcher and project manager at Social Finance, a social impact consultancy that partners with governments and charities to tackle social problems in the UK and globally.
Khansa Maria, a disability rights advocate studying for her DPhil in Education, is one example. Khansa – who was born blind – also works as a Scholar Affairs Intern at the Rhodes Trust, helping our equity, inclusion and diversity team. She was recently awarded a Tamgha-e-Imtiaz Prize. The National Secretary for Pakistan is Babar Sattar, a Rhodes Scholar alumnus and now a Judge of Islamabad High Court.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023