UK alumni start new bursary

Innovative: Prof John Simpson in London with UCT Alumni Dr Ansuya Naidoo, Alayne Reesberg and Janine George

UCT alumni and members of the South African Business Club based in the United Kingdom have joined forces to launch a bursary scheme aimed at poor students who want to study at the university.

Known as the South African Business Club Bursary, the scheme will give young South Africans from disadvantaged backgrounds opportunities to study towards business science degrees at UCT from next year.

Professor John Simpson, head of management studies at UCT, gave a talk to around 100 people at the event on 4 June in central London. His talk, Black Diamonds - On the Move: The emergence of South Africa's middle class, was on the findings of ground breaking research he has undertaken into the growth of the black middle class, popularly known as Black Diamonds.

All proceeds of the evening were donated to the bursary fund, which will be administered by the UCT Trust.

A number of new alumni contacts were made during the event, which was sponsored by Deloitte and South African Wines Online. It was covered by the British-based SA Times and The South African publications.