R2m worth of scholarships available for innovators across Africa

What the African continent needs now more than ever are leaders equipped with both conventional business acumen as well as the ability to pioneer and advance unconventional business, entrepreneurial, technological and societal innovations. Now, UCT GSB is inviting applications from across Africa for its 2016 Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and MTN Solution Space scholarships to do just that.

Together the two specialised units of the GSB are offering up to 10 partial and fully-paid study opportunities for social innovators, entrepreneurs and mid-career professionals, specifically those who want to play a positive leadership role in the sustainable development of the continent. Scholarships will be awarded for the MBA and MPhil in Inclusive Innovation programmes.

"These scholarships offer a rare opportunity to Africa's leaders, social innovators and entrepreneurs to study at Africa's leading business school, to gain exposure to innovative study programmes and projects and be a part of ground-breaking initiatives, as well as to meet and engage with some of the continent's most exciting and interesting entrepreneurs, changemakers, academics and leaders of business and civil society," says Director of the Bertha Centre, Dr François Bonnici.

"We believe in bright ideas, combined with passion, resources and a strong network, to create profound solutions. We believe in the potential of individuals to boldy envision and pioneer solutions for Africa, by Africa, in Africa. We believe in committed agents of change to shape the future of our continent", says Paul Norman Chief Human Resources and Corporate Affairs Officer, at the MTN Group.

The UCT GSB full-time MBA is the only MBA in Africa to be ranked in the Financial Times ranking of the top 100 MBAs in the world and it offers one of the best business educations on the continent. The 2016 GSB MBA curriculum will also be the first in the world to incorporate social innovation as a core subject.

The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship was founded in 2011, and is proud that in less than five years the appetite for using innovative models to advance social progress and overcome inequality has enabled it to integrate social innovation into the GSB's curriculum.

The Bertha Centre's scholarships are open to candidates in any field where they have been exploring social and/or environmental impact through innovative approaches, however a preference may be given to those candidates who show an interest or track record in working in the Centre's focus areas which include: Inclusive Healthcare Innovation, Innovative Finance and Education Innovations.

The overarching mission of the MTN Solution Space scholarships programme is to build exceptional leadership capacity in the technology, media and telecom sector, by providing excellent educational and training opportunities to individual Africans with leadership potential, as well as creating over time a network of next generation TMT leaders across the continent.

To be eligible for the scholarships, candidates must be South African or African. Anyone interested in applying for a Bertha Centre or MTN Solution Space scholarships should visit the respective specialised units sites here, Bertha Centre and MTN Solution Space for all criteria and application forms. The deadline for applications is 15 November 2015.

Watch the MBA and MPhil videos on Youtube for more information on the programmes.