21 January 2014 – Amman, Jordan: Prestigious postgraduate scholarship opportunities were announced today as part of a new partnership between the Generations For Peace Institute and the University of the Western Cape’s Interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence for Sport Science and Development (ICESSD). This exciting programme offers a rare opportunity for PhD candidates to conduct research on Sport for Peace and Development, with a specific focus on sport–based approaches to conflict transformation addressing local issues of conflict and violence at the grass roots in communities.
The partnership continues the Generations For Peace Institute’s investment in local research hubs to support innovation, quality, impact and sustainability of its programmes in different continents. Recognising the limited opportunities available to students in Africa to progress to PhD studies, the scholarships will be a valuable boost to local research.
Highlighting the importance of these scholarships, Prof. Dr. Marion Keim, Director of ICESSD said: “We are excited to partner with Generations For Peace to promote research, teaching and community engagement in the crucial area of Sport for Peace and Development to empower our students and to foster social change, and to live up as much as we can and wherever we are to Nelson Mandela’s legacy.”
Commenting on the significance of this partnership, Prof. Brian O’Connell, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, University of the Western Cape stated: “In South Africa, we know that young people can be a powerful force for positive change. Indeed young people taking action to improve the life of the nation are a significant part of our history. This makes us particularly excited to be partnered with Generations For Peace to continue the South African journey of building a better nation and world.”
HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, Founder and Chairman of Generations For Peace said: “We are delighted to partner with such a respected educational institution and looking forward to welcoming the selected candidates. Learning and education are at the heart of our organisation, and we are confident that the scholarship holders will be a great asset in our efforts to support positive change in local communities facing conflict and violence.”