The gift will create an endowment that will enable two graduate students from Pakistan per year to study at Oxford, in perpetuity, through the Oxford-Sir Anwar Pervez Graduate Scholarships.
The Bestway Foundation has donated £1,068,540 to set up two endowed graduate scholarships. The gift was matched by the University through the Oxford Graduate Scholarship Matched Fund, and will provide financial support to two talented students from Pakistan every year, who wouldn’t otherwise be able to come to Oxford.
‘Oxford provides an amazing environment for its graduate students,’ said Sir Anwar Pervez, founder of the Bestway Foundation. ‘There, they have access to the world’s leading academics in any given field of research, the best learning resources, and inspiration – from students and academics but also from the architecture and history.’
The Oxford-Sir Anwar Pervez Graduate Scholarships will support the students to complete a Master’s or DPhil across all subject areas. The first cohort of graduates will start in September 2015.
Sir Anwar hopes that some of these graduates can bring new energy to Pakistan and contribute to the country’s future. ‘Graduates are the harbingers of change,’ said Sir Anwar. ‘They will shape the destiny of Pakistan, so it is extremely important to support them. Those students who have already had the privilege of attending Oxford are already making a contribution to the progress and prosperity of Pakistan and its society, so I hope this new wave of Oxford-Bestway Scholars can do the same.’