[Geo4All] Please be a champion in your university for expanding scholarships programs for students from economically poor families

[Suchith Anand]

Dear colleagues



Access to quality education opportunities is a human right. Universities have a social responsibility. There is an urgent need for expanding full scholarship programs for students from economically poor families and first generation students (first in family to go to university) by all UK universities.



According to statistics provided at Child Poverty Action Group , there were 3.9 million children living in poverty in the UK in 2020-21. That's 27 per cent of children, or eight in a classroom of 30. Details at https://cpag.org.uk/child-poverty/child-poverty-facts-and-figures



Extreme child poverty in the UK is a humanitarian and ethical crisis. In educational terms, poverty is a significant disadvantage. The link between poverty and poor educational outcomes and wellbeing in the UK has remained stubbornly and depressingly high despite longstanding policy concern at national, local and jurisdictional levels of government.


Child poverty, education and the postcode lottery

https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2020/08/19/child-poverty-education-and-the-postcode-lottery/



I would like to thank the International Science Council for the strong support provided for me in my work for GeoForAll and building Open Geospatial Science.


https://council.science/current/blog/no-problem-is-too-big-combating-discrimination-in-geospatial-science/



I am very grateful for the excellent support that I am receiving from UK Research Funders and UK universities for the EDI scholarships initiative. I would like to thank all Vice-chancellors and senior management colleagues of UK universities who already send their support for the idea for expanding scholarship programs for students from economically poor families and first generation students .  Your help and support are greatly appreciated.


I greatly appreciate the supportive response from Russell Group to my Open Letter. I thank all Russell Group universities for their many initiatives to help students from all backgrounds. I thank Russell Group for assurance on their commitment for increasing opportunity for all students.


More details at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-letter-requesting-edi-scholarships-all-uk-suchith-anand



https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-letter-requesting-scholarships-all-russell-group-suchith-anand



I am confident that more UK universities will support EDI scholarships initiative (at both undergraduate and postgraduate level) and more students from economically poor families and first-generation students (first in family to go to university) will get higher education opportunities in the near future.




If your university doesn’t have an EDI scholarships program, may I request you to be a champion in your university for EDI scholarships initiative. May I request you to kindly share and support the Open Letter that I published requesting EDI scholarships at all UK universities.


https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/please-champion-edi-scholarships-initiative-your-university-anand



I want to thank all colleagues in various UK universities who championed the need for more full scholarships (at both undergraduate and postgraduate level) for students from economically poor families and first-generation students (first in family to go to university).


I am very grateful for the amazing support from colleagues around the world that I received for the EDI scholarships initiative. I am confident that more students from economically poor families and first-generation students will get higher education opportunities in the near future worldwide.


I request universities all over the world to provide scholarships for first-generation students and for students from economically poor families.


I am very grateful to all of you for your work and contributions for making education opportunities available for everyone.


I look forward to working with all universities worldwide to increase education opportunities for all students.


Best wishes


Suchith





Dr Suchith Anand

Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organisations | Scientist | Board member | Governance | Policy | Consultant in Data Science and Data Ethics | Global Citizen | SDG Volunteer and Advocate


https://council.science/profile/suchith-anand/

https://www.rd-alliance.org/users/suchith-anand

https://ethicaldatainitiative.org<https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/>





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