Year 12 students attend Oriel College for four overnight residential programmes
Oriel and the Yalda Hakim Foundation Launch Postgraduate Scholarship for Female Student from Afghanistan
29 March 2021
Oriel has partnered with the Yalda Hakim Foundation to offer a fully-funded scholarship, awarded on the basis of academic merit and potential, for a woman from Afghanistan to complete a one-year Master’s course in any subject at the University of Oxford.
It is intended that the scholarship, for the 2022-23 academic year, will benefit a student from an economically and socially disadvantaged background.
Women in Afghanistan face many barriers to their education, not least the continued threat of violence and attacks on educational facilities in the country. This scholarship will offer one Afghan woman the opportunity for an educational experience free from the threat of violence, at one of the best universities in the world, where they can expand their knowledge and build networks that will help transform them into a leader for the future.
Oriel is home to a thriving multicultural community, with 27% of its student population identifying as BME and some 67% of postgraduate students attending from one of over 40 countries outside of the UK. Students join Oriel from a wide range of backgrounds, coming together to share their knowledge and experience in a friendly collegiate setting. At Oriel, the recipient of the scholarship will benefit from the opportunity to mix with some of the best minds across a whole range of academic subjects.
The Yalda Hakim Foundation supports the educational and professional advancement of exceptionally talented young women in Afghanistan through scholarships, internships, and mentoring. Founded by BBC World News journalist Yalda Hakim, the Foundation helps to nurture future leaders for Afghanistan as the country continues to rebuild, and Oriel College is proud to be a partner in this important effort.
Of the scholarship, Yalda Hakim said: “We are thrilled and excited about our partnership with Oriel College. The chance for an Afghan woman to study at one of Oxford University’s oldest and most diverse campuses, will no doubt be a once in a lifetime opportunity. One of the core aims of the Yalda Hakim Foundation is to shape future leaders and we believe there is no better place for these young women to learn the skills they need to shape the future of their nation, than Oriel College.”
Oriel Provost Lord Mendoza said: “We are so delighted to be partnering with the Yalda Hakim Foundation on this scholarship, which will provide a fantastic opportunity for a young Afghan woman to benefit from all of the wonderful opportunities that study at Oxford provides. We are looking forward to welcoming the recipient into our lively postgraduate community and to supporting them in their educational endeavours.”