Social Responsibility of Scholarship Programmes

The Case of the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program – IFP

Scholarship programmes generally choose to focus on particular subjects, geographical areas, professional fields or a specific target group. The mission of some may be influenced by historical events, such as the Rhodes scholarship, which sought to stop the repeat of war after two world wars. Global development trends, such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may also shape programme goals. A third influence are major donors, including global development partners such as the World Bank, governments and international philanthropies whose priorities influence the direction of scholarship funding. Additionally, global education trends such as emergence of ICT as a platform for learning, the rising cost of education, privatisation and growth of education institutions play a role. However, the focus of this article is on scholarships and mobility programmes that address social justice and inclusion, using the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) as a case study. The author begins by reviewing the themes that are common to various types of scholarship programmes. She then examines the strategies that IFP deployed to effectively reach, inform and attract its target groups, the selection and placement processes and fellows’ monitoring. Finally, the author reviews the programme’s outcomes, considering the beneficiaries’ marginalised backgrounds, recruitment process and various supports provided to them. The article concludes by highlighting the programme’s impact.