University and BP provide 100 additional student scholarships

23 Nov 2011

BP are offering a further 100 scholarships across the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at The University of Manchester to support future growth in the UK and global economy.

The 100 scholarships are focused on educating the next generation of engineers and scientists by encouraging students to complete a four-year Integrated Masters programme in engineering and science.

The scholarships, worth an extra £345,000, will cover the fourth-year fees for UK and EU students or will contribute towards the fees for international students. 

The scholarships are in addition to funds that have already been given to The University of Manchester (and other leading universities) to ensure the UK’s most talented science and engineering graduates get the most from their university experience as well as encouraging them to explore the wide career options in the oil and gas industry. BP’s total investment, since 2007, in supporting students in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at The University of Manchester now tops £1m.

By studying for a four-year Integrated Masters programme, not only do graduates obtain the wide-range of skills required for the global challenges facing society, they also obtain the required education base for becoming chartered through the professional institutions. 

This funding comes at a particularly opportune time for hard-pressed students and could make the difference between completing a three-year programme, where they will generally need to complete further educational studies to become chartered, or the more comprehensive four-year programme. 

In addition, the 100 students awarded the additional scholarships will attend a one-day field trip to a BP site and will attend various BP events.

Professor Colin Bailey, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences commented: “We are delighted with the support we continue to receive from BP which helps to demonstrate the value of universities like Manchester in developing the next generation of a highly-skilled workforce, which is essential both to the economy and in addressing the grand challenges facing society”.

“The four-year Integrated Masters courses are very important from a professional perspective, as well as providing graduates with the skills that they require to address the challenges ahead; it is important that students are not put off this route purely on the basis of cost. ” he continued.

Emma Judge, Head of Graduate Recruitment at BP, said: “The financial crisis and the challenging economic environment is putting pressure on students’ living costs, and sources of extra support are scarce. So we hope that this will enable them to get the most from their degrees and broaden their experiences.”

Many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) recruiters are increasingly affected by skill shortages. BP is committed to investing in the industry and helping to attract and support students with opportunities such as completing a Masters degree, an internship abroad, or studying overseas. 

Students funded by BP are under no obligation to apply for a role at BP post-graduation, but BP hopes this initiative will encourage students to consider internships and graduate roles within the oil and gas industry, as well as ensuring that we continue to educate students to the highest level possible.

Omar Abdel Rehim, a 2011 Master of Engineering graduate from The University of Manchester, who benefitted from the previous round of BP scholarships said: “The BP scholarship programme is an amazing initiative and will clearly help more students next year.  I was fortunate to receive BP support into my final year through one of the internship bursaries but now many more students should be able to benefit.”