Beit Glasgow Medical Scholarship
The College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences (MVLS) has established with the Beit Trust a jointly funded scholarship scheme. The Beit Glasgow Medical Scholarship has funded two medical students from Malawi, Zambia or Zimbabwe each year since September 2016, under a five-year agreement the two parties will seek to renew. The joint scholarship funds postgraduate medical or biomedical training within the Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation at the University of Glasgow.
The Beit Trust was set up in 1906 by the will of Alfred Beit, a financier and philanthropist. The aim of the Beit Glasgow Medical Scholarships is to increase human capital in the biomedical field in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, for the benefit of their peoples. The Beit Trust seeks out bright students with leadership potential in their fields and is working with the University of Glasgow in training the next generation of scientists from Southern Africa.
The collaboration between MVLS and the Beit Trust has gone from strength to strength. After completing his MSc, Nelson Simwela, one of the first Beit students at Glasgow, was awarded a Commonwealth PhD scholarship and has just completed his doctorate under the supervision of Professor Andy Waters at the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology at the University of Glasgow. Dr Simwela will take up a post doc position at Cornell University.
Dr Alinane Munyenyembe, a clinician, who after completing her MSc at the University of Glasgow, returned to Malawi to work at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital. She then took up a clinical position at Aberdeen Royal infirmary and is an honorary clinical research fellow working in the field of cancer research at University of Aberdeen.
Sir Andrew Pocock, Secretary of the Beit Trust said: “The Trust welcomes the chance to do two things: to identify and support outstanding young scholars from Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, in a medical field of huge importance to the countries to which they will return, and to partner a world-class institution like the University of Glasgow. We look forward to maintaining this relationship, and the remarkable results that have flowed from it.”
Prof Iain McInnes, Vice Principal and Head of College said "This is a remarkable opportunity for us to bring the brightest young minds from Africa and offer them an outstanding education in the biomedical field. We see this as the beginning of a long term relationship with academic colleagues in Africa - generously facilitated by the Beit Trust to whom we are very grateful"
Those interested in a Beit Scholarship must first apply to the University of Glasgow Postgraduate School, and then apply to the Beit Trust for funding.
Additional queries can be emailed to Alex Mackay at the University of Glasgow.
Sir Andrew Pocock from Beit Trust meets UofG scholarship management team