Tata International Africa is committed to supporting communities in which they operate and good corporate citizenship is a critical value of the company. This year as part of its postgraduate scholarship programme, Tata awarded 52 academically and financially deserving students, at four South African universities, with scholarships worth over R2.4 million.
Tata has partnered with Nelson Mandela University (NMU), University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and University of the Free State (UFS) to support postgraduate students who demonstrated academic competence and required financial assistance during the 2019 academic year.
“Our objective is to help increase the number of young people primed to take up leadership roles in business, government, and civil society. The Tata postgraduate scholarship programme is one of our flagship corporate social responsibility initiatives,”
said Len Brand, CEO of Tata International Africa.
“Education is extremely empowering and transformative. It has an amazing ripple effect, with the potential to not only uplift individuals, but the communities in which they live and work, and ultimately society at large.”
Scholarships are given to beneficiaries who have a proven academic track record
Scholarships are given to beneficiaries who have a proven academic track record during their graduate years. All fields of study as well as faculties are taken into consideration. Students must be accepted via the respective university’s academic or development foundation and must pass the university’s academic criteria for acceptance.
The amount that each student receives covers the student’s tuition fees, stipend (living costs), books and accommodation for the year of study. TATA postgraduate scholarships contribute to the country’s objective of increasing the number of postgraduate scholars primed to take up leadership positions in business, government, and civil society in the country.
“Scholarship recipients are not contractually bound to TATA once they complete their studies. The students are free to pursue whichever direction they want to. We are committed to empowering and transforming lives through education which is one of the key components of the TATA business values and its belief system,”
added Len.
One of the students, Pride Nombulelo Ngcobo who is studying her Masters in Applied Drama and Theatre at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) shared a heartfelt vote of thanks for the bursary.
“I’d like to thank TATA for giving me the opportunity to be able to further my studies. This thank-you doesn’t only come from my heart alone, but from my single mother at home. My future says thank you, and the boys who attend my workshops in Hillbrow say thank you. My hope is that this initiative grows so that other students may also have the same chance and opportunity that I am so lucky to have,”
she said.
