We are delighted to be partnered with The Mandela Rhodes Foundation, one of Nelson Mandela’s three official legacy organisations. Founded in 2003 in partnership with the Rhodes Trust, its purpose is to build exceptional leadership in Africa. They do this by providing a comprehensive postgraduate scholarship for young African leaders to study in South Africa, and participate in a residential Leadership Development Programme, supporting them to become the leaders of tomorrow. The Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s infrastructure, vision, and focus on reconciliation, education, entrepreneurship and leadership make this a unique partnership opportunity for us.

Our role within the partnership is to support The Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s aim of being truly Pan-African, extending its reach to all 55 African nations. We work together to remove any language barriers experienced by candidates in the selection process for The Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s Scholarship. The support we offer will enable candidates to level up their English language skills, allowing them to show their true excellence and get the most out of their potential scholarship. The Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s selection committee will judge candidates’ eligibility for our funding on a case-by-case basis.

How does it work?

Each year, candidates for the fourth (and final) round in the Mandela Rhodes postgraduate Scholarship selection process, are flown to South Africa for an interview with the selection committee, at Nelson Mandela’s Cape Town home.

Scholarships include a Leadership Development Programme, and are for Honours or Master’s programmes at a recognised South African institution of higher education. This includes tuition and registration fees, allowances for study materials, research, and medical aid, accommodation and meals, personal allowance and economy class travel to and from the home country to the South African university at the beginning and end of the degree. A personal allowance is also provided.

Selecting scholars for the MRF’s postgraduate Scholarship and Leadership Development Programme is extensive, but there are limitations in terms of language barriers, given that study must be undertaken in English. This disadvantages those candidates not proficient in English, despite being strong in all other selection criteria. 

In every year’s selection process there are two to four candidates who do not make it through the final round due to insufficient English listening and speaking skills. The first three rounds are based on written submissions. As a result, talented candidates miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime because of their foreign-language background.

To turn this around the MRF now funds language courses for these candidates directly, ensuring that the funds are spent legitimately and effectively. Each language course is tailor-made, so the candidate gains sufficient command of the English language within three months. 

In our partnership with the MRF, we have contracted with The Language Hub in South Africa. They will provide a tailor-made online English course; an intensive 1-to-1 programme, where scholars will be prepared in three to four months to enter with the rest of the cohort in February. The course will cost R23,700 (about €1,200/£1,000).

Aside from the benefits of our scheme, this pilot project is aimed at supporting the expanding reach of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation to African countries where English is not the education system’s main language of instruction. As such, the Pan-African Language Fund aims to leverage our mutually beneficial partnership to achieve our goals of connecting talent with excellent education, thus providing opportunity to join and benefit from the world economy.

Aside from the benefits of our scheme, this pilot project is aimed at supporting the expanding reach of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation to African countries where English is not the education system’s language of instruction. As such, the Pan-African Language Fund aims to leverage our mutually beneficial partnership to achieve our goals of connecting talent with excellent education, thus providing opportunity to join and benefit from the world economy.

For more about The Mandela Rhodes Foundation visit www.mandelarhodes.org

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