Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has received £180,000 of funding from the British Council to offer international scholarships for women to study engineering or construction subjects in Chelmsford.
The British Council Women in STEM Scholarships allow ARU to provide five fully-funded places for female international students who wish to study at postgraduate level.
The scholarships will cover tuition, living expenses, visas, and travel to and from the UK, and the scheme is open to female students from Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Venezuela, Cuba, and Jamaica.
ARU first participated in the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships scheme last year and five women from Brazil and Mexico are currently enrolled on engineering courses in Chelmsford. These students have been blogging about their experiences on the ARU website, including https://aru.ac.uk/blogs/top-tips-for-women-thinking-about-applying-for-the-women-in-stem-scholarship
According to data from the UN Scientific Education and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), only 28% of engineering graduates worldwide are female. ARU has a range of initiatives to encourage women into STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine, Mathematics) subjects, and has Bronze Athena Swan status, recognising the work being done to promote gender equality.
Dr James Johnstone, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at ARU, said: “We are delighted that ARU is once again participating in this scheme, which aims to improve gender equality in science and engineering professions around the world.
“Data shows that only around a quarter of engineering graduates worldwide are female, and that is why initiatives such as this are so important.
“We currently have a fantastic group of female students from Brazil and Mexico on postgraduate engineering courses here in Chelmsford and we can’t wait to welcome more students, across a wider range of subjects, this September.”
The ARU courses covered by the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships are MSc Electronic and Electrical Engineering, MSc Mechanical Engineering, MSc Engineering Management, MSc Construction Project Management, and MSc Construction and Civil Engineering Management.
Applications are open until 23 March for courses starting in September 2023. For more details, visit https://aru.ac.uk/student-life/preparing-for-university/help-with-finances/scholarships/british-council-scholarship-for-women-in-stem
