The Engineers in Business Fellowship (EIBF), a charity promoting the importance of business education for engineers, announced today that it will expand its focus to support scientists. Each year, eight MBA scholarships worth £50,000 will be made available to UK-based scientists.
The Sainsbury Management Fellows MBA scholarship programme was originally founded in 1987 by Lord Sainsbury of Turville, with the aim of equipping engineers with business skills to help them launch high-tech companies or rise to leadership positions in major UK firms.
The programme has been highly successful, with over 400 engineers graduating from top international business schools. These graduates, known as Sainsbury Management Fellows, have gone on to establish over 300 companies, contributing nearly £5 billion to the UK economy and creating over 21,000 jobs.
In an effort to further boost the UK’s economic strength and build upon its global reputation in scientific research, the Sainsbury MBA scholarship programme is now being extended to scientists. This new initiative will be known as the Sainsbury Science Management Fellows Scholarship.
This year, five scholarships will be available to scientists who demonstrate leadership potential and a strong commitment to the UK economy. From 2025/26 onwards, the number of scholarships will increase to eight annually. These scholarships will be for full-time MBA study at top UK business schools associated with leading 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
To apply, candidates must hold a first degree in a science discipline, show a clear dedication to the UK’s economic development, and be UK nationals residing in the country.
The EIBF will work alongside the National Physical Laboratory to manage the application process. For more information or to apply for the Sainsbury Science Management Fellows Scholarship, please visit www.npl.co.uk/sainsbury-management-fellowships.
Successful applicants will join the prestigious SMF alumni network, which consists of leading figures in UK and global business. Sainsbury Management Fellows are encouraged to engage in networking activities and collaborate on business initiatives.
Lord Sainsbury of Turville, the founder of EIBF, commented: “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, added: “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.”
