We have joined forces with Imperial College London to launch a new scholarship programme for underrepresented students.
The Sanofi NextGen scholarship programme, part of our larger ‘A Million Conversations’ campaign, aims to create a new generation of healthcare leaders who can help improve trust in healthcare among underrepresented and marginalised communities, including women, ethnic minorities, people whose parents did not attend university, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities.
This follows the results of our global survey which demonstrated diminished trust in healthcare systems among underrepresented communities. In the UK, 58% of all respondents say they have suffered trust-damaging experiences. Those most likely to say this include disabled respondents (76%), ethnic minority respondents (69%), LGBTQ+ respondents (63%) and women (62%).
The scholarship programme is available to Imperial students who are from an underrepresented community, have demonstrated financial need, and have been assessed with a Home fee status (been living in the UK for three years). This year, the programme will be available to current students, and afterwards may be available to both new and current students. It is also available to students from all Faculties.
The Sanofi NextGen Scholarship will award eligible Imperial undergraduate and postgraduate students with £10,000 per year to help support tuition costs, living expenses, course-related books, fees, and expenses.
The holistic Sanofi NextGen scholarship is a unique, life-changing opportunity. Beyond financial support, NextGen scholars will gain exclusive access to mentorship, internship, leadership training and potential employment opportunities at Sanofi UKIE once they graduate. Scholars will also become members of a worldwide network of diverse young leaders who have the shared ambition to build a more inclusive healthcare system.
Imperial’s Vice President (International) Professor Maggie Dallman said: “We want to attract the brightest students from all backgrounds and to do this we need to support those who are under-represented and disadvantaged financially.
“This new scholarship programme supported by Sanofi will ensure that the future leaders in healthcare are able to thrive, inspire positive change and create a healthy society.”
Richard Baggaley, People Director at Sanofi in UK & Ireland, said: “If we want to build trust with patients of all backgrounds, we must develop and empower the next generation of leaders in healthcare from all backgrounds.
“That’s why we are proud to partner with Imperial College London to support young people from marginalised communities on their career journey. By working together, we hope to make significant progress towards building a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system.”
We have collaborated with the Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine on various research projects over the past ten years. Professor Robin Shattock, for example, worked with Sanofi Vaccines, on an EU-funded project called Euroneut, which focused on developing an HIV vaccine.
Sanofi representatives recently visited The Invention Rooms and Imperial College London’s White City Campus, to see some of the College’s societal outreach and entrepreneurship programmes. The Sanofi visitors included Richard Baggaley, People Director, Sanofi UK and Ireland; and Léa Futschik, Diversity Scholarship and Engagement Director, Sanofi.
This scholarship agreement is supported by the French Embassy in the UK.
There are five scholarships available in 2023-2024 and the application deadline is 25th August 2023. If you would like to apply, please email globalseedfunds@imperial.ac.uk to register your interest, and we will send you an application form in due course.
Date of Preparation: July 2023