October 2023.
The Globeleq Scholarship Fund (GSF), the flagship scholarship programme of the renewable energy industry, is delighted to announce the opening of applications for the upcoming 2024 academic year. As a leading provider of funded scholarships nationwide, the GSF is dedicated to supporting specific communities within the renewable energy map, with a keen focus on the Northern Cape Province.
Established nine years ago, at the dawn of the sector, the GSF has already provided support to over 420 students from various communities, with bursaries exceeding R24 million. By doing so, this tertiary education funding initiative actively contributes to the country’s transformation agenda, the Just Energy Transition, and the industry’s pursuit of gender diversity.
The GSF aims to allocate a budget of approximately R4 million per year and is open nationally to applicants pursuing national diplomas or BTech degrees in mechatronic, mechanical, or electrical engineering.
Focusing on the Northern Cape, the fund also includes an ‘Other Sciences’ category, which is open to students studying nursing, education (Maths & Science), or agriculture in the this province, with priority given to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths-focused courses. This is in addition to the ‘GSF Communities’ category, available to students pursuing any degree, diploma, or certificate within a 50km radius of the following solar PV plants: De Aar Solar Power, Droogfontein Solar Power, and Konkoonsies Solar Power (all in the Northern Cape), Boshof Solar Power (Free State), and Soutpan Solar Power (Limpopo).
Over the past three years, the GSF has exclusively awarded scholarships to 100% black youth, with female recipients accounting for 71% since the programme’s inception in 2014. Notably, there has been a significant increase from 68% (2022) to 92% (2023) female recipients, demonstrating the GSF’s commitment to empowering women in engineering.
“This education fund fulfils multiple objectives by supporting 100% black youth and predominantly female beneficiaries. We aim not only to advance the renewable energy industry, but also to inspire other sectors in their efforts to contribute to our country’s developmental agenda,” says Hlengiwe Radebe, Economic Development Director for Globeleq South Africa Management services.
The GSF employs a unique and comprehensive approach to funding, focusing not solely on academic achievements but also on financial need, students’ locations, and gender. This approach showcases the GSF’s dedication to bolstering the ranks of women engineers in the country and in the sector as a whole.
The Globeleq Scholarship Fund’s overarching goal is to develop the necessary skills for the renewable energy industry while fostering the long-term sustainability of the communities in which the organization operates nationwide.
The deadline for applications is 30 November 2023. Interested candidates can apply online at www.globeleq.auraams.app and contact support@auraAMS.app for further information.
