British Council launches Women in STEM Scholarships for 2024-25

Celina Ali

Islamabad: British Council, the UK’s interna­tional organisation for education­al opportunities and cultural re­lations, in partnership with UK universities, has announced the launch of British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM programme.

This prestigious scholarship is designed for female STEM gradu­ates wanting to pursue their Mas­ters’ in the UK.

The presence of women in STEM fields is essential for promoting diversity, ensuring a range of per­spectives, and driving innovation. Their presence not only address­es gender disparities but also en­riches the workforce with unique skills, ultimately advancing scien­tific and technological progress for the benefit of society.

25 scholarships are reserved for women STEM scholars from Pakistan and other South Asian countries. These are across five UK higher education institu­tions – Queen Mary University of London, Anglia Ruskin Univer­sity, Greenwich University, The University of Southampton and Coventry University. The schol­arships will empower the benefi­ciaries to advance their careers in STEM and facilitate their ability to drive research and innovation in their home country by immers­ing them in the expertise of the UK’s esteemed STEM fields. The UK is currently ranked third in the world for citable research, with 55.2% of all UK publications the product of international research collaborations.

The scholarship will cover tui­tion fees, stipend, travel costs, visa, health coverage fees, and English language support. The scholars can pursue courses like Data Sci­ence, Computer Science, Pharma­ceutical Science, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Mechani­cal Engineering, Engineering Man­agement, Civil Engineering Man­agement, Intelligent Healthcare, Actuarial Science, among others.

Maarya Rehman, Deputy Direc­tor British Council Pakistan said, “Almost half of the world’s popula­tion is female and represents half the potential brain power of re­searchers and innovators.

The global challenges facing the world can only be addressed through science and research and we cannot solve these prob­lems with one hand tied behind our backs, with only one half of the population working towards the solutions. Gender equity is not just a nice idea, it is essen­tial for the progress of mankind. Through programmes like the Women in STEM Scholarships, we aim to provide the financial assis­tance needed for women to pur­sue their education and unleash their full potential in STEM fields, thereby driving transformative change and contributing to the sustainable development goals in a more meaningful way.”
Since 2020, the programme has awarded over 300 scholarships. In the 2023-24 global cohorts, 92 scholars were enrolled in their selected courses. So far, 45 Paki­stani women have been award­ed the scholarships and pursued their one-year postgraduate stud­ies in the UK. Through these schol­arships, British Council maintains its commitment to creating oppor­tunities for women to succeed in a globalised world and gain global credentials in STEM fields.

The scholarship aims to inspire young women to remain in STEM fields by supporting their progres­sion towards leadership roles and fostering networking opportuni­ties with peers both in their region and in the UK. The scholarship also welcomes applications from women with dependents, offering additional support. The applica­tion deadlines vary depending on the university, typically between March and April 2024.