UCT medical graduate awarded Gates Cambridge Scholarship

University of Cape Town (UCT) medical graduate Gilad Shorer will become one of 95 individuals – and the only South African – to join the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship programme at the University of Cambridge, starting in October 2025.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship programme was established through a US$210 million donation to the University of Cambridge from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000. At its heart is a dedication to social leadership and academic excellence. The 2025 scholars come from all over the world, and their research covers everything from space agriculture and bilingualism to cyberbiosecurity and building responsible artificial intelligence systems for supporting disabled communities.

Shorer earned his MBChB from UCT in 2022. He will pursue a Master of Philosophy in translating devices and advanced therapies research at the University of Cambridge. As a medical doctor working in Khayelitsha, Shorer witnessed the profound health inequities affecting vulnerable populations. Limited resources and barriers to access often result in poorer health outcomes for these communities. “This motivated me as a UCT student to seek solutions. While earning my MBChB and biomedical science honours (immunology and infectious diseases), I co-founded the Mandla Health platform aimed at addressing some of these healthcare access challenges. This experience fuelled my passion for using technology to bridge health gaps,” said Shorer.

“The alumni of the programme have gone on to remarkable careers.”

“I aim for far-reaching positive impact via interventions for diverse settings – urban/rural South Africa and other resource-limited areas globally. While this marks a significant transition – from practising medicine in Khayelitsha to studying at Cambridge – being part of a community committed to addressing global challenges gives me immense motivation. This opportunity will be truly transformative, enabling me to contribute meaningfully to advancements in healthcare and health systems, which is a cause I am deeply passionate about.”

Legacy

Professor Eilís Ferran, provost of the Gates Cambridge Trust, said: “I’m delighted to announce our 25th anniversary cohort of 95 new scholars. Gates Cambridge has always selected scholars based on their outstanding academic achievement and their commitment to change the world for the better. Already they are having a ripple effect in the many disciplines and industry sectors they have gone on to work in.”

Reflecting on the 25th instalment of the scholarship, co-founder of the Gates Foundation and Microsoft, Bill Gates, lauded the programme’s longevity and its contribution to personal growth and global scholarship: “When we started the Gates Cambridge Scholarship in 2000, we wanted to help exceptional students from all over the world experience the university’s 800-year legacy of higher education, learn from each other, and prepare to be global leaders. Twenty-five years later, the alumni of the programme have gone on to remarkable careers in fields ranging from public health to international relations, chemistry to information technology, and oceanography to neuroscience. We couldn’t be prouder of the difference they’re making, and the leaders they have become.”