Each year the UK’s Alliance Manchester Business School partners with QS to offer two exclusive scholarships for attendees of the QS World Grad School Tour. Covering 50% of tuition fees for a one-year master’s program at the business school, this year’s scholarships have been awarded to Fabio Farina and Alexander Rübner, from Italy and Germany respectively.

Part of the University of Manchester, Alliance Manchester Business School prides itself on welcoming talented students from around the world each year. “The scholarship is important to help us maintain a diverse body of students, so they’ll get to make friends for life with classmates from different backgrounds, and also forge their networks for the future,” explains admissions manager Tania Smith.

Noting that this year saw an extremely high level of applications, she says Fabio and Alexander impressed the selection committee due to “the high level of written ability in their statement of purpose, which complemented their undergraduate academic achievements.”

Fabio Farina

Nationality: Italian

Program: MSc Finance and Business Economics

Currently completing an undergraduate degree in economics, Fabio was keen to find a master’s program that would allow him to develop his knowledge in the fields of both finance and economics. He was especially keen to study in the UK, in order to develop his English language proficiency and gain direct experience of the British business environment.

When he discovered the MSc Finance and Business Economics at Alliance Manchester Business School, Fabio says everything about the course and the university seemed “perfect” – except for the cost, which was above the budget agreed with his parents. Having considered other options, however, he remained convinced that this was the best program for him – and was excited to find out that the school offered several scholarships.

“I sent all the documents needed and even though, actually, I was not sure I would receive any financial help, I felt more confident about talking to my parents,” Fabio recalls. “They understood my determination and trusted my decision, allowing me to accept the offer for the course I wanted to study, in the university I desired to be.”

He still clearly recalls the moment he found out he’d been chosen for the QS-Alliance Manchester Business School Scholarship. “I could not believe it. I started jumping and crying,” he remembers – adding that his mother “probably fainted” when he called to share the good news.

During his year studying in Manchester, Fabio plans to focus on preparing for the working world, and hopes the university’s well-established careers network will support him in finding a position to work in the UK afterwards. Having already spent some months living abroad in both the UK and US, he’s not concerned about being away from home, though he expects this time to be rather different: “I will go there to build the foundations of my career and my future life, making the whole experience much more challenging.”

Advice for other scholarship applicants: “The earlier you start organizing your plans, the wider will be the set of opportunities available, and having the time to take special care of any application or letter sent can make a big difference. Secondly, I feel like encouraging students to build a distinguishing profile, rich in unique experiences, and imprinting their personal mark in any essay or statement they attach to their applications. Last, but not least, if you know any rite to gain the good will of the blindfolded goddess, do not hesitate to make it!”

Alexander Rübner

Nationality: German

Program: MSc Marketing

Having been interested in marketing throughout his undergraduate degree in business administration, Alexander is keen to pursue a master’s program in this field as the next step towards his desired career. He’s particularly keen to take on a role in sports marketing, an ambition which has been strengthened by his experience as an intern in the sports department of German advertising agency Jung von Matt.

During his search for highly reputed marketing programs, Alexander discovered the course at Alliance Manchester Business School. He was attracted by the institution’s strong reputation, the in-depth knowledge and professional skills provided by the course, and the prospect of studying abroad – “the new country, culture and people I will meet and which will surely support my development also on a personal level.”

After graduating, Alexander hopes to gain a place on a graduate training program at a large multinational, gaining experience in various fields of marketing and in different locations abroad. In the longer term, he’s keen to develop his abilities as a leader – applying the knowledge gained from his studies, as well as his own direct experience of inspiring and people-centered leaders. 

Both his short-term and longer-term career goals, Alexander believes, will be brought within closer reach by the master’s degree at Alliance Manchester Business School, not least due to the strength of the institution’s reputation. This, he says, “signals to employers that graduates have already succeeded in a competitive election process and afterwards received a high-class education” – setting expectations he is keen to live up to.

Advice for other scholarship applicants: “There are so many different scholarships, which makes it difficult to give general advice. What I experienced is that in most tasks you have to fulfil to gain a scholarship, reflection plays an important role: Who am I; what are my strengths and weaknesses; what do I want to achieve in life? Big questions of course, but the answers will not only raise your chances of obtaining scholarships, but also build the foundation of your personal development during your studies and beyond.”

由 The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)赞助

你是否打算成为一名教师或参加教育研究的课程？如果是的话，前面有很多令人兴奋的趋势！未来的教育将变得更加个性化、移动化和实践化。

学习和教育的世界正在与时俱进--它也应该如此。由于移动和云技术的显著改善，数字化转型已经侵入了生活和工作的几乎每一个领域--21世纪的课堂也没有被超越。各级学校都需要现代化、精通技术的毕业生来担任领导职务。如果这听起来像你，请继续阅读关于塑造未来教育的关键趋势的概述......

1. 自带设备(BYOD)

越来越多的学校正在实施BYOD，并允许学生和员工在Wi-Fi网络上使用移动设备，这不难看出原因！BYOD有许多好处，包括：1. 自带设备有很多好处，包括更多的学生参与，有更多的机会进行个性化学习，可以使用大量的超流行的教学应用程序--更不用说节省技术、自由流动的信息和数据，以及更多的独立学习。

2. 改造后的学习空间

虽然数字化转型带来了许多好处，但它也给学校带来了挑战：我们如何在一个日益数字化的时代培养对书籍的热爱？为了应对这一挑战，一些学校已经开始重新思考他们的图书馆，将其作为开放空间，或有利于休息、独立学习和创造力的学习中心。

3. 3D打印

当然，虽然人们一直在谈论使用3D打印机来协助STEM和设计学科的教学，但各国仍在对可行的应用进行原型设计。例如，在英国，3D打印机在很大程度上被限制在设计教学上，但在数学、生物和工程方面，也有使用3D打印来教授各种概念的空间。如果你特别热衷于了解潜在的应用--你应该这样做--你可以利用香港教育大学的两个3D打印室和一个移动计算实验室!

4. 更好的工具来支持有阅读障碍的学生

虽然许多学校继续使用过时的基于语音的方法来教育患有读写障碍的学生，但情况比几年前要好得多--这要归功于基于计算机的辅助技术的兴起，如文本到语音程序和预测性拼写器，以及围绕读写障碍的态度的变化和对读写障碍的大脑过程的认识的提高。在未来的几年里，教师将专注于支持读写困难儿童的新方法。

5. 学生主导的学习

教师正日益成为学生教育和学习经验的促进者（而不是主要主角）。在我们这个移动时代的学校，正在从死记硬背的学习转向有价值的技能型智慧。这不仅仅是你知道什么，而是你如何知道它，以及你打算用这些数据做什么。通过向学生提出更深层次的问题和即时获取几乎无限的数据和信息，教师能够鼓励儿童成为好奇的问题解决者和创新者。

6. 教育的国际化

在今天的全球经济中，对教育部门的工作人员来说，拥有跨文化的技能和视野已经成为一项基本要求。实现这一目标的一个越来越流行的方法是在海外完成教育硕士的学习。亚洲国家的学生往往青睐美国或西欧的研究生院，而许多欧洲和北美的学生则选择亚洲的大学。国际教育研究生项目将为学生准备好迎接未来的所有挑战和机遇--提供对教育的宝贵的全球理解，获得海外工作机会，以及来自世界各个角落的热情的教育工作者的国际社区。

在一个世界领先的机构接受国际教育职业的培训

香港教育大学（EdUHK）是亚洲的一所新大学，专注于教师教育。香港教育大学的前身是香港教育学院，为研究培训和专业博士课程提供了一个令人振奋的学术平台，以培养能够为教育和更广泛的发展做出实质性贡献的开拓者和有志之士--在本地、亚洲乃至全球。该校提供一系列研究生课程，包括教育学硕士、国际教育领导力和变革的执行文学硕士（国际学士学位认证课程）、教学硕士和国际汉语教学文学硕士，等等。

对于全日制研究型研究生（RPg）项目的学生，香港教育大学提供研究型研究生奖学金。2016-17学年的每月津贴从15,000港元（约1,900美元）到15,600港元（约2,000美元）不等，取决于学生的身份。

该大学非常鼓励其研究班学生在国际上发表他们的作品。对这些学生的财政支持包括为每位候选人提供高达11,000港元（约1,400美元）的资金，用于参加与其论文直接相关的会议或研讨会。此外，还为学生开展研究项目提供了额外的财政支持。

在最新一期的QS世界大学学科排名中，香港教育大学在教育领域排名亚洲第二，世界第十二，在学术界享有很高的声誉，研究影响力很大。

我们都知道澳大利亚的动物很可爱，人们很友好。但是，在澳大利亚学习的好处是严重改变生活的。这里有七件令人难以置信的事情是在你 "下山 "之后将遇到的。

1）前方的蓝天

澳大利亚美丽的自然环境不仅使其成为去海滩的好地方。生活在蓝天下，在干净的蓝水里游泳，这些会改变你对生活的全部看法，并且让你感到自由。像麦考瑞大学这样的大学也拥有惊人的绿色校园，感觉更像公园。坐在绿色的草地上，在桉树的树荫下阅读讲义？这样度过几年的时间还不错。

2）最神奇的冒险

虽然你的主要重点是学习，但澳大利亚也为你提供了在可以改变生活的地方创造一些令人难以置信的记忆（和Instagram帖子！）的机会，如大堡礁、乌鲁鲁的 "红色中心"，当然还有惊人的城市悉尼。你唯一的问题将是试图找到时间去所有你想看的澳大利亚地方旅行。

3) 生活在你（职业）梦想的城市中

除了一直位列世界十大最佳学生城市之一（https://www.qschina.cn/city-rankings/2016），并提供令人惊叹的天气和生活方式外，像悉尼这样的澳大利亚城市还拥有一些世界上最大和最具创新性的公司，它们总是在寻找优秀的毕业生。你将处于将你的职业生涯推向新高度的首要位置。

4) 有能力改变你的道路

澳大利亚是一片个人自由和机会平等的土地。你来自哪个国家、文化或宗教，或者你有多富有，这都不重要。你可以自由地做你自己，证明你能做什么，并把你的生活带到你想要的地方。

 5）有机会了解一种新的文化......或100种文化

在当今全球化的商业世界中，拥有跨文化技能将使你真正与众不同。在麦考瑞等澳大利亚大学，你将与来自100多个国家的学生一起学习，并向他们学习。因此，你在毕业时不仅会了解澳大利亚的文化，而且还会了解无数其他国家的文化--无论你在哪个国家都会有职业机会。

6) 可以让你成为百万富翁的人脉关系

澳大利亚的许多大学被列为世界上最好的大学之一，因此，澳大利亚吸引了这么多有才华的学生，这并不奇怪。你将与一些令人难以置信的人共享一个教室，你可能会遇到未来的商业伙伴，并与之一起取得惊人的成就。

看看被中国媒体称为 "太阳能教父 "的Samuel Yang就知道了。在麦考瑞大学学习经济学的时候，他遇到了一些科学家。他们一起创建了现在世界上最大的太阳能公司之一。

7）做任何事情的信心

在海外学习--尤其是在澳大利亚这样一个遥远的国家--往往需要走出自己的舒适区，迫使你学习新技能并变得独立。在澳大利亚大学闻名的学生支持下，你将发展情商，毕业时对自己有全新的信心。再加上备受推崇的澳大利亚学位，你将能够昂首挺胸地走进任何房间--或工作面试。

在悉尼的五星级大学留学（https://www.mq.edu.au/study/international-students/why-study-here/our-reputation/university-rankings）

麦考瑞大学是澳大利亚排名前十的大学，距离悉尼市中心15公里，位于南半球最大的商业和技术区之一。 麦考瑞大学在商业、健康和医学等领域拥有五星级的评级和全球声誉，其培养的毕业生是世界上最受欢迎的专业人士之一。

在Facebook（https://www.facebook.com/macquarieuni）、Instagram（https://www.instagram.com/macquarieuni/）、Twitter（https://twitter.com/Macquarie_Uni）、LinkedIn（https://au.linkedin.com/school/macquarie-university/）和YouTube（https://www.youtube.com/user/MacquarieUniversity）上与麦考瑞大学联系，了解新闻和学生故事，或与之联系。

QS Quacquarelli Symonds首席执行官Nunzio Quacquarelli对英国选民决定离开欧盟发表评论：

QS近期进行的研究发现，英国学生坚决反对脱欧，有56%的受访者认为英国离开欧盟将对他们的职业前景产生不利影响。许多英国高等教育的教育工作者也反对脱欧，因为他们担心研究资金的削减和减少来自欧盟的才华横溢的师资和学生的准入。

虽然我认为英国未能与欧盟重新谈判条款以维持我们的持续成员资格是遗憾的，但我仍然保持乐观，认为只要英国政府提供所需的支持，英国大学将继续在全球高等教育行业中蓬勃发展。

让我给出四个理由，为什么我对英国大学的前景保持乐观。

首先，英国大学在研究方面建立了世界公认的卓越标准。目前有四所英国大学位于QS世界大学排名的前10名之内，而且在前200名大学的数量上，英国仅次于美国。尽管欧洲联盟的研究资金将会减少（欧洲研究委员会每年6.87亿英镑），但我相信一个负责任的英国政府会理解世界级高等教育系统对英国经济的重要性（大约占GDP 400亿英镑 - 英国大学）并将弥补研究资金的大部分短缺。

其次，英国吸引了来自世界各地的国际学生（2014/15年有436,000名，其中124,000名来自欧盟 - HESA），在招收国际学生的数量上也仅次于美国。如果欧盟学生开始支付国际学生费用，对于在英国学习的欧盟学生的需求可能会减少，但是来自欧盟学生的总收入实际上可能会增加。同时，来自世界其他地区的学生可能会发现，在一个合理的基于积分的系统下，新的签证规则对他们更为有利，这个系统偏爱资质良好的硕士和博士生，并简化了资质良好者留在英国工作的权利。LEAVE运动以加拿大和澳大利亚的系统为模板，为新的签证规则提供了模板，这两个国家为国际学生提供了有利的条件。签证变化，加上英镑汇率持续疲软，可能会为英国大学带来意外收益。

第三，相关的一点是，一个新的基于积分的签证系统应该使英国大学更容易吸引来自世界各地而不仅仅是欧盟的最聪明的年轻博士后和教员——一个由于最近的英国签证规定而被冻结的人才库。

最后，QS的研究还显示，全球67%的雇主偏好具 有国际经验的学生。英国大学应当感到有强烈的动力在世界各地建立更多的国际合作和留学机会。为英国学生在亚洲和其他地区开放这些机会，只会对他们的职业准备有好处。讽刺的是，很少有英国学生利用欧盟成员资格进行Erasmus交换。现在他们意识到必须努力保持与欧盟的文化联系，这一直是欧盟的一个主要好处，我们甚至可能看到英国学生对于参加在欧盟的交换和实习项目有更大的兴趣。

因此，如果英国政府跟进Boris Johnson、Michael Gove和LEAVE运动的其他成员在这次活动中一再作出的承诺，英国大学可能不会面临许多人所担心的末日。

We’re delighted to announce that the winner of this year’s QS Scholarship for Academic Excellence is Simon Gsponer, a graduate of Switzerland’s University of Zurich who is now preparing to study an MSc in Management Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the UK.

Awarded annually, the QS Academic Excellence Scholarship is worth US$10,000, providing support for a student embarking on a master’s or PhD course anywhere in the world. Applicants are assessed based on their academic achievements to date, as well as the potential they show to make a contribution within academia or another area.

Simon, who completed his bachelor’s degree in business and economics, has previously taken part in the Swiss-European Mobility Program to study a semester abroad at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Spain. He says his long-term aim is “to become a tech entrepreneur and combine all of my skills to contribute to social betterment.”

From academia to big pharma

Having completed his thesis on the topic Preferences for Redistribution and the Acceptance of Inequality, Simon is now keen to pursue further study in this area. Specifically, he’s keen to investigate an enigma related to the decision to accept economic inequality, explaining: “While research on redistributive preferences has accomplished a lot in terms of quantifying the extent of economic inequity that exists and the level of inequality people deem acceptable, no study could, to the best of my knowledge, explain the discrepancy between these two quantities.” Simon aims to explore this topic from a behavioral perspective, and hopes to publish his findings in an academic journal.

In the longer term, Simon hopes to use his knowledge and skills to positively impact on the distribution of power within the pharmaceutical industry. He argues that this sector – as “the only branch of healthcare that is not based on considerations of the common good, but on bare-knuckled capitalism” – is of paramount importance for the future of the world’s living standards and costs.

He outlines his future plans: “Pharmaceutical firms have raised prices of various drugs dramatically over the past few years, which can be mainly explained by the producer-dominated market structure. Therefore, I want to globalize the current, national distribution of drugs in an entrepreneurial venture, which would weaken the bargaining power of pharmaceutical companies and thus redress this worsening problem.”

Advice for other scholarship applicants

On receiving the QS Academic Excellence Scholarship, Simon says he is happy to be relieved from some of the financial burdens of studying a master’s degree, so that he can now worry less about money and focus on achieving his goals. Furthermore, he believes that this achievement validates the hard work he has undertaken so far, inspiring him to continue working to fulfil his aspirations: “This nomination vindicates my decision to take risks in life and my attempt to continuously tackle more demanding challenges.”

Noting that scholarship seekers unfortunately outnumber the scholarships available, Simon recommends that others should avoid simply churning out as many applications as possible, and instead adopt a more focused approach. He says: “Apply for only a few scholarship positions, yet invest as much effort as necessary to leave a unique, long-lasting impression. Luck favors the bold; ergo, scholarships are awarded to people that stand out of the crowd, and not to the ones that hide behind hackneyed statements.”

如果你在到达东道国之前安排好你的行程和住宿，出国留学可能是一个美妙的经历。如果你选择作为伊拉斯谟项目的一部分在西班牙学习，那么选择马德里的大学可能会很有趣，原因在于这个城市的气候、文化、公共交通、众多的国内和国际旅游连接，以及像马德里这样的城市所能提供的各种景点和服务。

马德里自治大学（https://www.uam.es/uam/inicio）（西班牙文缩写为UAM，即马德里自治大学）已经获得了国际优秀校园的质量认可。根据QS世界大学排名®，UAM是一所公立的、现代化的、以学生为中心的和国际公认的大学，在世界200强中排名靠前。自1989年以来，UAM接待了伊拉斯谟项目的学生，在提供交流学生所需的所有支持和服务方面拥有丰富的经验。

该大学的Cantoblanco校区（https://www.uam.es/uam/inicio）位于一个交通便利、与马德里的公共交通系统连接的优越地区。事实上，它有自己的Cercanías（通勤列车）站，Cantoblanco Universidad，20分钟内就能连接到太阳门。坎托布兰科校区还拥有众多教育、文化和体育设施。

1. 不要迷路! 

国际学生

位于校园内的Oficina de Acogida Internacional负责为国际学生、研究人员和学术人员提供帮助，为他们提供学术和行政信息，并帮助他们找到所有问题的答案。在那里你还会了解到获得外国人身份证（Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero，称为NIE）的过程，这应该在你在西班牙逗留的第一个月开始。该办公室还将帮助你联系外交部和西班牙驻外使领馆，以解决你在西班牙逗留期间可能遇到的学生签证、回国授权或旅行文件等问题。

该办公室还将向你介绍UAM的运作和结构及其服务（大学卡、网站、地点、住宿），并为你提供寻找奖学金的建议。

2. 安排你的住宿

UAM提供学生宿舍，位于校园内的Colegio Mayor Juan Luis Vives和Residencia Universitaria Erasmo。此外，在aluni.net网页上还提供了关于学生住宿的信息，包括共享的带家具的公寓或带互联网服务的套间。根据合作协议，UAM的学生在准备合同时可以获得40%的折扣，只要出示由学校盖章的Aluni手册。欲了解更多信息，请访问www.aluni.net 或发送电子邮件至 instituciones@aluni.net。

3. 理清你的健康保险和银行业务 

首次申请居留证和续签居留证时，你必须提供一份证明，说明你已经购买了健康和意外保险。有许多保险公司提供涵盖这些要求的保险，其价格不同，因此医疗保障也不同。建议购买涵盖手术和急救服务的保险。

此外，还建议在抵达西班牙后，开设一个银行账户。在更新您的身份号码，即NIE时，出示该账户的银行对账单是必不可少的要求。为了开立银行账户，无论你的国籍如何，你必须提供你的居民（欧盟或非欧盟）或非居民身份证明。

4. 不要害怕寻求帮助!

由于影响政策的不断变化和新移民法的实施，我们建议在开始任何程序之前，你与UAM取得联系，发送电子邮件到 oficina.acogida@uam.es，以便我们帮助你安排旅行。你也可以使用这个电子邮件地址来分享任何你认为对其他伊拉斯谟交换生有用的信息，并向我们提出意见和建议。

5. 结交国际朋友，学习新的语言

参加伊拉斯谟交流项目的很大一部分吸引力在于有机会与来自不同背景的学生建立持久的友谊，同时也能提高你的语言能力。有来自世界各地的学生在UAM学习。为了帮助你轻松沟通，同时学习和享受，学校为你提供了学习六种不同语言（为外国人提供英语、法语、德语、意大利语、荷兰语和西班牙语）的可能性。如果你需要更多信息，你可以访问语言服务（Servicio de Idiomas）。

马德里自治大学的伊拉斯谟交流机会 

马德里大学提供广泛的课程，通过允许在欧盟范围内的课程学分转移来促进学生的流动性，以及在整个学士课程中包括学术指导和在学生的学术生涯中教授支持的导师制度。UAM提供12个完全用英语授课的硕士学位，以及一些用英语授课的学士学位课程，这些课程的数量超过75%。

As part of the QS Scholarships scheme, BI Norwegian Business School offers an annual scholarship exclusively for attendees of the QS World Grad School Tour. This year’s recipient is Russian student Maria Kukhtina, who is preparing to start the school’s MSc in Business, with a specialization in logistics, operations and supply chain management.

Having already spent a semester abroad during her undergraduate degree, Maria was keen to repeat the experience – but feared that completing her master’s abroad was simply “impossible” given the costs involved. The QS-BI Norwegian Business School Scholarship will cover her full tuition fees, and Maria says the award has also boosted her motivation levels: “The scholarship is not only financial support, but also an extra motivation to do my best, be proactive and fulfil the school’s expectations.”

Developing a clear career plan

Maria’s story is an inspiring tale for anyone struggling to decide on a career path; while she now has a very clear idea about what she wants to achieve, this wasn’t always the case. When first enrolled at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Maria recalls lacking “a clear understanding about my future”. She changed specializations several times, moving from advertising to marketing and then public administration, before deciding to start again with a major in international economics at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation (previously known as Moscow Institute of Economics and Finance).

This decision to change track, Maria says, involved ignoring advice from family and friends about “what is good for a girl”. However, she was now confident in her choice, which allowed her to combine her love of mathematics with the opportunity to learn a third language. She also had the chance to spend a semester at Spain’s University of Cadiz, after receiving a scholarship from the Santander Group.

Having graduated in 2015, and gained some professional experience in supply chain management and logistics, Maria is now keen to develop her expertise in this area. So far she’s taken on a role in business development for Dutch flower auction auction platform FloraHolland, as well as completing international procurement internships in Russia and the Dominican Republic. “I realized that I need a deeper understanding of supply chain management and ‘hard’ skills in logistics in order to proceed with my career,” she says. “A master’s degree in logistics and supply chain management at BI is a logical step forward that will broaden my horizons and give me the necessary skills to achieve my career goals.”

Invest time to find the right program

During her time at BI Norwegian Business School, Maria says she hopes to have opportunities “to apply theoretical knowledge, solve real business problems, and study in international groups.” She adds: “International experience along with the strong scientific approach of the school will let me develop an international career in supply chain management.”

And finally, what advice would she give to other students seeking funding? The most important step, she says, is to thoroughly research “the program, the school, and the country, exactly in this order”, and then make a shortlist of three to five target programs that match your criteria. Investing the time to ensure you have “a perfect understanding of the programs”, she says, will make it much easier to apply for scholarships, as you’ll easily be able to explain your chosen pathway and express your motivations.

We’re pleased to announce that the winner of this year’s QS Leadership Scholarship is French student Tara Heuzé, who is preparing to study a Master of International Affairs at Columbia University in the United States.

Tara completed her bachelor’s degree at Sciences Po in Paris, and also spent time at the University of Cambridge, where she took part in the Essentials Dignity Campaign, a project organized by the Cambridge Hub and a local shelter in order to provide homeless women with sanitary products. When she returned to France, Tara was determined to continue contributing to this issue, recognizing the importance of making feminine hygiene products accessible for all women.

The ‘Règles élémentaires’ campaign

Drawing inspiration from her experience in Cambridge, Tara launched a campaign to collect sanitary products for homeless women, teaming up with Le Samusocial de Paris (a humanitarian emergency service). Her initial campaign started in Paris, not only as she was a student there, but also because the French capital is home to half of the country’s homeless population.

The campaign, dubbed Règles élémentaires (“Basic Rules”), was a massive success, with over 25,000 pads and tampons donated in less than three days, making a huge difference to the lives of thousands of women. The campaign is now being scaled-up nationwide, with 20 new collection spots set up at universities and businesses in seven different French cities. Tara says “the simple and honest message of the initiative deeply resonated with the French people”. The campaign is still growing, with many teachers asking about setting up similar campaigns in their schools as group projects for their students.

“The ongoing journey of Règles élémentaires convinced me that some the simplest ideas can have the greatest impact,” Tara says, adding that the positive response has demonstrated to her “that decisiveness, strong beliefs and a clear vision are quintessential components of successful endeavors.”

The leadership skills Tara showed in launching this campaign unsurprisingly impressed the QS judges, leading to her being chosen as the winner of the QS Leadership Scholarship (worth US$10,000 in tuition fees) to study her master’s abroad in the US.

From liberal arts to green finance

Tara’s wide-ranging studies at Sciences Po enabled her to discover what she’s most interested in pursuing at master’s level and for her future career: economic development and green finance. She chose to study at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) to specialize in this area and gain a broader exposure to professionals and academics in the field, and was also attracted by New York City’s long history of being at the forefront of international policy-making and socially responsible investing.

Tara explains, “As a student of SIPA, I will have the opportunity to follow classes such as ‘Global Economic Governance’ and ‘Environmental Finance’.  Therefore, I believe my time at Columbia will particularly help me plunge into environmental issues, consolidate the theoretical knowledge I have obtained at Cambridge and Sciences Po, while applying it to real-world scenarios.” Most importantly, she says: “the Columbia experience will perfect my training and will endow me with the tools, networks and career prospects necessary to infuse long-term, large-scale change.”

As well as helping Tara to manage the financial side of her studies, the QS Leadership Scholarship has also encouraged her to export the Règles élémentaires concept overseas to New York. She explains her goals: “While I wish to have a long-term global impact with my future career, I find it equally important to have a short-term local impact in everyday life. This explains why I launched the Règles élémentaires campaign last November.”

Advice for other scholarship-seekers

What advice would Tara offer to other students seeking a scholarship? “Be incredibly self-disciplined. Be prepared to spend sleepless nights working on essays, personal statements and study plans, but keep in mind it is worth it!” She also recommends being genuine, so that your application will truly reflect who you are – “when you’re invited to interviews and have as little as 20 minutes to present your life and projects, you’ll realize how important it is that the jury has a good understanding of your personality from the start.”

Finally, she suggests asking someone close to read your scholarship essays and give you feedback – who won’t mind reading 10 different versions of the same essay! “If you cannot think of anyone patient enough, do not hesitate to contact alumni of the scholarship program/s you’re applying to – more often than not they will be happy to share their experience and help you out!”