Esri UK announced it has partnered with Akama Fund, a charity dedicated to supporting students and facilitating accessible scholarships, to create a new scholarship programme for Black and mixed Black heritage students.
Designed to support 60 higher education students, in disciplines related to the geospatial industry, the Geospatial Student Accelerator scheme will make awards totaling £30,000 in the first year.
Ten students will be awarded up to £2,500 each while an additional 50 will receive funds of £300 to buy items and clothing needed for fieldwork. All applicants will gain access to Esri UK’s mentorship network, personal development workshops and other careers resources provided by Akama Fund, aimed at enhancing their professional development. One student can also win a trip to Esri’s global user conference in California, one of the largest geospatial events in the world with over 20,000 attendees.
Akama Fund is providing its scholarship application platform and student outreach, while Esri UK is funding the programme. The new scheme removes some of the stress and burden of applying for scholarships due to Akama’s proven two-stage process and its staff who support and encourage students throughout the procedure. Applications are welcome between 4-31 March 2024 from higher education students, enrolled at UK universities in relevant fields, including Geography, Earth and Environmental Studies, Landscape Architecture, Biology and Archaeology.
“The Geospatial Student Accelerator scheme has been designed to widen the scope of support for students from Black and mixed Black backgrounds, in line with Esri UK’s dedication to cultivating a more inclusive and diverse geospatial community,” explained Pete Wilkinson, Managing Director of Esri UK. “By increasing the number of financial awards and easing the burden of applying, working with Akama we want to identify and nurture a higher number of talented individuals and accelerate their journey towards a geospatial career.”