New Kofi Annan Graduate Scholarships

Mansfield is partnering with the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme to offer seven new fully funded Kofi Annan Scholarships of the ‘Weidenfeld-Hoffmann’ graduate programme at Mansfield per academic year, for the next five years.  

The new Scholarships have been named for the former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Kofi Annan (1938-2018), who officially opened the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights at Mansfield in June 2018. It was our privilege to welcome Mr Annan to College two years ago, and our aim is to reflect and respect that memory in naming this Scholarship in his honour. 

The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme aims to provide outstanding university graduates and professionals from developing and emerging economies with the opportunity to pursue study at Oxford. In addition to their studies, the graduates participate in a tailor-made Leadership programme to give them additional practical skills and opportunities. It is expected that many of the students will come from countries and backgrounds that mean that the scholarship is particularly life changing, both for the Scholar themselves and in terms of the potential impact of their work after their studies are completed.

The Scholarships at Mansfield represent a new partnership between the University of Oxford’s Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme and the College. The Kofi Annan Scholarships of the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Programme have been made possible thanks to the generosity of Mansfield alumnus, Mr Jan Fischer, of Germany. We are delighted that the Kofi Annan Foundation has granted us permission to name this endeavour in honour of Kofi Annan. 

This announcement comes at a time when globally inequalities in society are deepening. We believe that Universities can help redress this, by helping people from a broad range of backgrounds to develop their talents and to make a positive contribution to the world. 

“At Mansfield we aim to educate, equip, and empower our students to realise their ambitions, ask questions, and make a positive impact on the world around them. We wanted these new scholarships at Mansfield to be named for a figure whose name provides inspiration and honour to those in receipt of them, and to reflect the intended purpose of the scholarships in educating people to make the world a better place. With Kofi Annan’s deep commitment to education for the benefit of international peace, collaboration and development, and our proud link with him, we could think of no better name to achieve that intention.” 

Helen Mountfield QC 
Principal, Mansfield College

Mr Kofi Annan speaking at the opening of the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, June 2018: