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British Council launches scholarship programme for sustainable development

SOURCE: Fred TANNEAU / AFP
In a world dealing with climate change concerns and the ongoing quest for equality, the demand for sustainable practices has been growing exponentially.

Jan 15 | 2 minutes read |

By U2B Staff 

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On Jan. 13, The British Council announced that, in collaboration with the UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign, it has officially launched the GREAT Scholarships for a sustainable future scheme. This programme will be available to qualifying students from Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey and Vietnam who are determined to learn the ropes of sustainable development.

In an attempt to boost awareness of climate change, GREAT Scholarships for a sustainable future will widen access to courses in the UK. The plan was devised to create a cohort of young spokespeople determined to bring forth positive change. 

Why study sustainability? The need for professionals in the field is great. The Brundtland Report defines the word ‘sustainable’ as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

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Climate change and the world’s most recent natural disasters have made sustainability a crucial practice across organisations, and today it is used as a competitive advantage, even more so than it was before. 

According to a survey by Arthur D. Little, in 1998, 83% percent of American and European executives surveyed thought that companies could develop real business value and economic prosperity from sustainable development initiatives.

This proves that while sustainable development is in no way a new concept, it has definitely grown in prominence. More and more industries are embracing its growth, offering several positions in sustainability, which has widened the skill gap. 

One of the main benefits of pursuing an education that will set you on the path to join a field that needs bodies? It pays off. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wages across various sustainability careers is US$166,910.

According to StudyPortals, the growing interest in education in Sustainable Development seems especially prevalent in developing economies. 

Relative student interest in sustainability-related programmes, as compared to other fields, has more than doubled in Singapore (225%), Puerto Rico (143%), Bhutan (140%), Guatemala (134%), and Brunei (133%), followed by Myanmar (123%), Peru (112%), the Dominican Republic (110%), Mongolia (101%) and Ireland (101%).

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Altogether, through the GREAT Scholarships for a Sustainable Future scheme, 26 internationally-minded students will be able to advance their education in the UK and upon completion, be well on their way to acquire green jobs. Each of these scholarships will award an amount of GBP£10,000 to be deducted from tuition fees, tenable for one academic year. 

For the 2021-22 academic year, postgraduate scholarships for education in sustainability will be available at the following institutions:

 

    
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