On 15th September UWC International Patron Shelby M.C. Davis and Anand Mahindra, Governor of UWC Mahindra College and Chairman of India’s Mahindra Group, announced that together they will provide major new support for the UWC movement. Jointly they are committing a total of US$12.5 million scholarship funding over the next five years.

Shelby Davis and Anand Mahindra said: “The world needs extraordinary leadership to navigate today’s complex challenges, tensions and conflicts, as well as to make the most of new opportunities. The UWC movement is ideally suited to provide such leaders and we are privileged to support it.”

“We believe in the potential of UWC students and we believe in the power of leading by example – thus our decision to step up for UWC at this time. The UWC movement is committed to increasing its impact in a world where its mission and values are so relevant and our joint commitment supports that. We applaud UWC’s expansion through two new colleges this year – UWC Robert Bosch College in Freiburg, Germany and UWC Dilijan in Armenia – and the prospect of a further college in Changshu, China in 2015. We expect to see this growth continue as UWC reaches more students and finds more ways to extend its impact. We hope many others will join us to provide more UWC scholarships for aspiring youth from all parts of the world.”

Shelby Davis will contribute US$7.5 million, US$1.5 million a year for the next five years. Of this total, US$5 million will provide additional funding for the Davis Scholarships, which already support more than 100 Americans to attend UWC-USA in New Mexico and the 13 other UWC schools and colleges. The remaining US$2.5 million will continue Mr Davis’ support for the Davis International Scholarships, established a decade ago and operating in every UWC college.

The Mahindra Group will contribute Rs 300 million (approximately US$5 million), Rs 60 million a year for five years, in support of need-based scholarships for students at UWC Mahindra College. These funds will be transformational for UWC’s Indian college and are expected to support 50 new scholarships each year, 25 for Indian students and another 25 for students selected by UWC national committees in other countries.

Sir John Daniel, Chair, UWC International, commented: “This is extraordinary news and on behalf of the UWC movement I express our profound gratitude to Shelby Davis and the Mahindra Group. UWC offers one of the most extensive scholarship programs in the world, but we are always striving to do far more so that we can further increase our student diversity. Shelby Davis and Anand Mahindra have an outstanding record of supporting UWC, and we invite others who embrace the UWC mission to join them in giving us the capacity to reach more young people from all over the world.”

Sir John announced that the joint initiative of Shelby Davis and the Mahindra Group will be recognised by a renewal and extension of the existing Davis International Scholarships. From 2014-15 onwards four outstanding second-year students at each UWC institution will be named ‘Davis-Mahindra International Scholars’.

Sir John added, “With two new UWC colleges opening, this is an exciting year for UWC. These remarkable new commitments made by Shelby Davis and the Mahindra Group make us even more optimistic about the future and our mission of using education as a force for a more peaceful and sustainable world.“

15 September, 2014