The Engineers in Business Fellowship (EIBF), a charity that promotes business education for engineers, has announced that it will now support UK scientists with eight annual MBA scholarships, each worth £50,000.
The Sainsbury Management Fellows MBA programme was originally founded in 1987 by Lord Sainsbury of Turville. His aim was to equip engineers with the business skills needed to start high-tech companies or take on leadership roles within large UK organisations.
The programme has been a great success, with over 400 engineers graduating from top business schools around the world. Known as Sainsbury Management Fellows, these graduates have launched over 300 companies, collectively valued at nearly £5 billion, and have created more than 21,000 jobs in the UK.
In order to further strengthen the UK economy and its leadership in scientific research, the Sainsbury MBA programme is being expanded to include scientists. This new initiative will be known as the Sainsbury Science Management Fellows Scholarship.
This year, five scholarships will be available to talented UK scientists who demonstrate leadership potential and a commitment to the UK economy. The number of scholarships will increase to eight annually from 2025/26 onwards. These scholarships will be available for full-time MBA study at leading UK business schools linked with top science research universities, including:
- Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
- Cambridge Judge Business School
- Imperial College Business School
- Warwick Business School
- Alliance Manchester Business School
- Cranfield School of Management
Applicants must have a science-related first degree, a commitment to the UK economy, and be UK nationals currently residing in the country.
EIBF will be partnering with the National Physical Laboratory to manage the scholarship application process. For more information or to apply for the Sainsbury Science Management Fellows Scholarship, visit www.npl.co.uk/sainsbury-management-fellowships.
Selected scholars will join the prestigious SMF alumni network, which consists of senior business leaders in the UK and internationally. Fellows actively engage in networking activities and collaborate on business ventures.
Lord Sainsbury of Turville, founder of EIBF, remarked: “The success of the Sainsbury Engineering Management Fellows has led me to believe that we should widen the impact of the scholarship scheme by helping those who have scientific degrees to also acquire business skills. An MBA will provide scientists with credible business skills, allowing them to transform their innovations into commercial products.”
David Falzani MBE, Chair of EIBF, commented: “We are grateful to Lord Sainsbury for providing the funding for the Sainsbury Science Management Fellowship Programme. We look forward to working with the National Physical Laboratory to provide this excellent opportunity to UK scientists. Along with all the Sainsbury Engineering Management Fellows, we look forward to welcoming the scientists who will add inestimable value and diversity to our networking community.”
