United
World Colleges (UWC) is the only global educational movement that
brings together students from all over the world at pre-university
level, regardless of their ability to pay. Students are selected
on merit and live together in an environment designed to foster
international understanding, peace and justice.
The
UWC Movement originated in the ideas of educationalist Kurt Hahn
in the late 1950’s. Hahn and a number of colleagues who
were instrumental in founding the movement recognised that much
could be done to overcome the hostility of the Cold War if young
people could come together at an age when they were already grounded
in their own cultures but impressionable enough to learn from
others. The vision become a reality in 1962 when Atlantic College
opened in Wales.
Today
there are twelve United World Colleges, each with its own distinctive
character but sharing a common mission which is more relevant
than ever. High academic standards, extensive community service
and a wide range of cultural and outdoor activities are features
of a UWC education. There is also great diversity: it is common
for more than 80 nationalities to be represented at a College
at any one time and students come from a very wide range of backgrounds.
Graduates in excess of 30,000 are evidence of UWC’s success
– in most cases, a personal commitment to peace and international
understanding has become a central part of these graduates’
lives.
UWC
Scholarship
Trust of SA
A
trust established in support of the United World Colleges movement
to provide scholarships for South African students to attend the
colleges in Canada, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Norway, Singapore,
Swaziland, the United Kingdom, The United States of America and
Venezuela.
The
UWC Scholarship Trust of South Africa has been in existence
since 1979, when the first group of three students went to
Atlantic College in Wales. Since then the Trust has provided
over 130 UWC
Scholarships to South African students.
The
UWC Trust of South Africa is registered as a Section 18A Public
Benefit Organisation
and is responsible for selecting South African students to attend UWC colleges around the world. In addition, the trust takes care
of administration, publicity and fundraising.
The
day to day affairs of the Trust are taken care of by an Executive
Committee of volunteers. The Executive Committee consists of ex-students
as well as supporters and is accountable to the Board of Trustees.
Regional Selection Committees and a National Selection Committee
are appointed by the Trust to conduct the selection process and award scholarships.
The selection committees include ex-students, educationalists
and community leaders from a variety of backgrounds.
Applications
are received annually from October to February from all over South
Africa. Candidates need to be resident in South Africa at the
time of applying. After an initial screening, regional selections
are held each March in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to select
finalists for the national selections, which take place in late
April.
