Nelson Mandela and the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, Dr John Hood, applaud the signing of the agreement
Sept 2, 2008 – The Mandela Rhodes Foundation today acquired 25.1% of the shares of Oxford University Press South Africa which will help fund its scholarship programme.
Nelson Mandela and the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University, Dr John Hood, signed the deal which will help to ensure that there are “100 Rhodes scholars a year by 2012”, said Professor Jakes Gerwel, chairperson of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation. The Foundation exists to build leadership capacity throughout Africa, through scholarships and training.
“On top of covering all the costs of two years of tuition at a South African university,” said the CEO of the MRF, Shaun Johnson, “the scholarships provide opportunities for recipients to take part in leadership retreats.”
He added: “Each student has a mentor, making these scholarships on a par with the top scholarships around the world.”
The aim of building future leaders is something that OUP is deeply committed to, as Dr Henry Reece, chief executive of the publisher’s worldwide operation, explained.
“For many years we’ve been serious about transformation and empowerment in South Africa ... [This partnership is] about investing in people who will be our future leaders in order to create an even better South Africa. We are proud to be able to play a role in such a fundamental way,” Reece said in a press release.
The importance of leadership qualities is recognised in practice as well, noted Cynthia Ayeza Mutabaazi, a Mandela Rhodes Scholar originally from Uganda and now studying Media Studies at the University of Pretoria.
“I never thought that I would be able to get a scholarship as I was never an A+ student,” said Mutabaazi. “To get a scholarship based on my leadership abilities, where the criteria encompass many things that make up intelligence, not only marks, was most humbling.”
The partnership between the Foundation and Oxford University Press was described as a perfect fit by both Johnson at the launch as well as Lieze Kotze, managing director of OUP South Africa, in the press release.
The scholarships are open to citizens of any African country under the age of 30.