Qalaa marks decade of Scholarship Foundation with 13 new offers

June 8, 2016 in Companies, Foreign News by Editor

KAMPALA JUNE 8 – Egyptian business house Qalaa Holdings celebrated ten years of its scholarship foundation on June 1 with thirteen beneficiaries in the latest round.

That brought to 151 the number of students that have benefitted from the scheme over its decade long existence. The Foundation, also Egypt’s largest private-sector funded scholarship program, helps Egyptian youth study abroad at some of the world’s most prestigious universities, positioning them to contribute to their country’s development.

“The Qalaa Holdings Scholarship Foundation is an organization that we hold very dear to our hearts as it encapsulates our belief in education and the potential of Egyptian youth. We are immensely gratified to be giving our 10^th class of talented scholars the opportunity to pursue their dreams through graduate study programs at elite universities across the globe,” said Qalaa Holdings Chairman and Founder, Ahmed Heikal.

Established 10 years ago, the foundation was built with the aim of developing the capabilities of Egyptian youth through training and knowledge transfer initiatives.The structure ensures continuity and enables it to award approximately 15 Egyptian students each year with academic scholarships on condition they will return to work in Egypt upon graduation.

“I am deeply honored to report that these students have made us proud. Not only have they fulfilled their obligation to return home but many of them are now pioneering new industries such as solar energy, affecting public policy through work with government ministries and innovating in diverse fields from medicine, to architecture, archeology and conservation” said Heikal.

The 13 students who were awarded scholarships this year will be pursuing Masters degrees in cutting edge fields including Energy Law, Molecular Biotechnology, Subsea Engineering and Endovascular Neurosurgery among others at universities in the U.S., the UK, Italy, and the Netherlands.

This year an additional scholarship was also awarded personally by Qalaa Chairman and Founder Ahmed Heikal and his wife May to an Egyptian student to attend New York University (NYU). The first recipient of the annual May and Ahmed Heikal NYU Scholarship is, Ibrahim Shehata, who will be pursuing a graduate degree in Law.