Opportunities for African youth focus of international summit
Leaders from world-leading universities gathered to discuss opportunities for young people in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
The Mastercard Foundation Presidents’ Meeting creates opportunities for collaboration and partnership-building between higher education institutions in 17 countries across Africa, Europe and North America.
The annual event was hosted outside of the African continent and with an educational partner for the first time in Edinburgh.
Presidents in partnership
The Mastercard Foundation is one of the largest of its kind in the world, working with organisations to advance education and financial inclusion that enables young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work.
All organisations that took part in the meeting deliver the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, a flagship initiative which offers leadership and scholarship opportunities at universities across the world.
Facilitated by its President and CEO Reeta Roy, the Presidents’ Meeting encourages attendees to share experiences, discuss current opportunities and challenges and consider new ways of working that can best support the evolving and sometimes complex needs of Mastercard Foundation Scholars.
The University of Edinburgh showcased its Climate Leadership Programme, which is designed to empower young people to lead transformative change in response to the climate crisis, with delegates learning about the climate-related research outputs, entrepreneurial activity and social impact led by Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni.
It was wonderful to be hosted by the University of Edinburgh and I am so grateful to Sir Peter Mathieson and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program team here for offering to host us. Though we are accustomed to the convenience of meeting virtually, there is no substitute for being together in person, from forming deeper relationships for those who have known each other, to creating new networks for the first time.
“I was inspired and encouraged by our discussions, by our partner organisations, and our Presidents, because I see their commitment and focus. And it was very exciting to have our Mastercard Foundation scholars attend, with their peers, alongside the leaders of these universities - I see them thriving and it speaks volumes about the kind of network we want to create.”
Mastercard Foundation at Edinburgh
The University began working with the Mastercard Foundation in 2016. The partnership funded scholarships and support for over 200 undergraduate and postgraduate students from across Africa at the University between 2016 and 2023.
Since 2023, a new partnership has aimed to support a further 800 postgraduate Mastercard Foundation Scholars to undertake a range of degrees focusing on sustainability. In addition, a further 30 Mastercard Foundation Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures Fellows (WESAF) have been supported through a collaborative partnership with the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa.
We have one of the largest and most diverse university communities in the UK, in part because of our long history of global collaboration with like-minded organisations. Our ongoing partnership with the Mastercard Foundation demonstrates this commitment to making a positive impact around the world and underlines our belief that all young people deserve access to opportunities that enable them to fulfil their potential.
I am honoured that so many of our peers and partners could join us in Edinburgh for the annual President’s Meeting and to hear about their experiences first-hand. By listening and observing, we can form a deeper understanding of the role we can play when working with partners to create more opportunities and better support young people across Africa.
Related Links
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program | Global
Images Ellie Morag.