IE University Broadens Kistefos Scholarships Program Offerings for Young Talent from Norway and Africa

Committed to developing Norwegian and African talent, IE University is now accepting applications for a total of fourteen scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year with the IE Kistefos Young Talented Leaders Scholarships Program. Empowered by Christen Sveaas, founder and owner of the Norwegian company Kistefos, the scholarship program was launched last year by the IE Foundation. This program is aimed at high potential young leaders from Norway and Ethiopia, Liberia, and South Africa who want to pursue a masters at IE University in order to develop impact projects in their countries upon graduation.

Meeting of Christen Sveaas, Bengt A. Rem and Geoffroy Gérard with Scholars in Madrid

Next 2020-2021 academic year, IE University has broadened the offer of graduate programs consistent with this scholarship. The candidates will be able to choose among seven master degrees at IE Business School, IE School of Human Science and Technologies and IE School of Global and Public Affairs.

Scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year will be awarded to eight Norwegian students and to six students from Ethiopia, Liberia, or South Africa and candidates can apply for the following expanded list of programs: Master in Management, Cybersecurity, Business Analytics and Big Data, Computer Science and Business Technology, Digital Business Innovation, International Relations, and International Development. All of these scholarships cover up to a 100% of the tuition fee as well as accommodation, logistics, and living expenses. They will be awarded in accordance with the financial needs of each candidate.

This initiative is open to any of those candidates who show academic and personal excellence, as well as strong leadership skills. IE University is looking for young people with entrepreneurial minds and committed to taking advantage of this dynamic and global experience in a context of great diversity. Their experience at IE should allow them to materialize afterwards innovative projects that have a positive impact on their countries of origin.

Over its full four year span, the IE Kistefos Young Talented Leaders Scholarships Program includes the Fellowship for Leading Norwegian Talent with scholarships for 20 master studies in a four-year period and two scholarships for undergraduate studies, which were awarded in 2019, and the Fellowships for Leading Africa Talent with 24 scholarships for master studies.

The goal of this scholarship is to ensure that every student, regardless of their socioeconomic background, can have access to a transforming university experience that helps them to develop all their talent and to shape their innovative business vision.

At the present time, six candidates from Africa and three from Norway are already studying at IE University thanks to this scholarship.

“After last year’s launch, the program is now a reality and we are very proud of our first Kistefos class of 2019-2020 at IE University. It has been an honor to welcome these brilliant young people, young leaders who will undoubtedly shape the future of their countries,” declared Geoffroy Gérard, General Director of the IE Foundation.

“Likewise, we are very happy to have had the opportunity to include new programs to next year’s offer thanks to the trust of Kistefos and its commitment to boost young innovators and entrepreneurs,” he added.

“We are pleased to see that the Kistefos Scholarship Program has been so well received by students from both Africa and Norway.”

“We are pleased to see that the Kistefos Scholarship Program has been so well received by students from both Africa and Norway. With multiple students already well into their degrees, the development of socially responsible leaders for the future is progressing as planned,” said Bengt A. Rem, CEO of Kistefos.

When asked about her impact through the scholarship, Tina Marie Sødal, candidate for the Master in Business Analytics and Big Data at IE School of Human and Sciences and Technology says: “Norway has enormous growth potential in the tech sector, and thanks to this scholarship, I hope to make my own contribution, because through the use of data, we can create value for the country and for those living in it.”

“Thanks to this scholarship, I am seeking to improve public service in Liberia and the general economic situation in the country, and to create career opportunities for all Liberians who lack it.”

“Thanks to this scholarship, I am seeking to improve public service in Liberia and the general economic situation in the country, and to create career opportunities for all Liberians who lack it,” said Matthew Nyanplu, candidate to the Master of International Development at IE School of Global and Public Affairs.

Founded by Christen Sveaas, Kistefos AS is a private investment company with a prolific record of philanthropic projects committed with the public service and academic development.

This donation consolidates Kistefos’ ongoing investment in the development of young talents with innovative focus in Norway and Africa. In the last decade, this company has collaborated with other international academic institutions in programs such as the Kistefos Public Service Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School and the Kistefos St. Gallen Masterclass Scholarship at St. Gallen University.

In the last six years, IE and the IE Foundation have awarded around 15 million euros in scholarships each year for students from more than 120 countries. The IE Kistefos Young Talented Leader Scholarships Program is part of IE University’s scholarships program “Talent without Borders,” which awards scholarships to students with outstanding academic and personal profiles.