Qalaa Foundation hands out 12 top scholarships

June 16, 2017 in Communications, Companies by Editor

June 16—Qalaa Holdings Scholarship Foundation (QHSF), Egypt’s largest private-sector funded scholarship program, announced the recipients of its eleventh annual round of scholarships, bringing the total number of scholarships awarded thus far to 163.

The 2017-2018 scholarship recipients will be pursuing Masters degrees at leading universities in the United States, United Kingdom, France and Sweden.

“It is truly an honour to be providing these promising young men and women with the opportunity to further their knowledge and broaden their horizons in a wide variety of cutting-edge disciplines,” Ahmed Heikal, the Qalaa Holdings Chairman and Founder said.

The 12 students who were awarded scholarships this year will be pursuing their studies at top global universities including Harvard, Oxford, Imperial College, INSEAD, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden.

QHSF was started by the founders of Qalaa Holdings 11 years ago in the belief that education is the key to ensuring a more prosperous future for Egypt. In order to guarantee the Foundation’s sustainability regardless of economic challenges, there is an endowment to fund its uninterrupted operations.

It is through this endowment and the exceptional management of the Foundation that QHSF has been able to maintain the volume and frequency of its scholarship program throughout the years.

Heikal said, “Education is key to empowering our youth so that they can make positive contributions to Egypt’s development in the years to come. It has been our experience that during their time abroad, our scholars gain critical thinking skills, professional qualifications, and international connections that will hopefully equip them to make a lasting impact on their communities when they return to Egypt.”

He said Qalaa Holdings have launched two new scholarships this year sponsored by  subsidiaries TAQA Arabia and the Egyptian Refining Company (ERC). These will also be managed by the Foundation.  “Our energy subsidiary, TAQA, is offering scholarships to students working in the renewable energy sector so that they may further their knowledge in this crucial area that will be of strategic importance for Egypt going forward,” Heikal said.

QHSF scholarship recipients are required to return to work in Egypt after the completion of their studies. Alumni have thus far made impressive contributions and have been involved in progressive business and cultural initiatives that are starting to make a real impact on Egypt’s future in areas such as renewable energy, architecture, education and archeology. QHSF scholarship recipients have come from 13 governorates throughout Egypt including Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Menoufia, Ismalia, Assiut, Minya, Qalyubiya, Dakahlia, Aswan, and BeniSuef.

Qalaa Holdings is an African leader in energy and infrastructure. Formerly known as Citadel Capital, Qalaa Holdings controls subsidiaries in industries including Energy, Cement, Agrifoods, Transportation & Logistics, and Mining.

Qalaa Holdings Co-Founder and Managing Director, Hisham El-Khazindar said, “Recognizing the crucial link between diversity and innovation, we have sought out talented young men and women from across the country, with equal opportunities given to female and male scholarship recipients. In the class of 2017-2018 we are proud to see the number of female students in our program exceed the number of males.”

He said, “Our students also have a diverse array of passions and will be pursuing degrees in fascinating fields ranging from Transportation Planning and Behavioral Economics to Optics and Photonics and Costume Design.”

 

Commenting on the notable achievements of the Foundation’s alumni, QHSF Chairman of the Board, Dr. Nabil Elaraby said, “Nothing gives us greater pleasure than seeing these talented young people excel. We are proud to be in a position that allows us to contribute to their success stories and to participate in making education more accessible for all Egyptian youth.”