Imperial will help develop future African leaders through a new scholarship programme.

The Beacon Scholarship – open to undergraduate students from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda – will support students in financial need.

The project – funded with The Beacon Equity Trust – will be the first Imperial scholarship open specifically to students from those countries.

Vice President (International) Maggie Dallman said: “This new scholarship will support exceptional students from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda who don’t have the financial resources to study at one of the world’s best universities.

“By identifying and developing future leaders we will be able to help make a lasting impact on society in Africa and around the world.”

During the programme the scholars will build their leadership and critical thinking, while learning to set and achieve personal goals to advance their growth.

The Beacon Equity trust hope to ‘develop a group of ethical change-makers who create a ‘multiplier effect’ and spread their influence to generate positive social change’.

The scholarship will contribute to students’ tuition fees, living costs and airfare.

Former student Natasha Kassami grew up in Uganda and received a scholarship from Imperial to study a Master's in Public Health.

Natasha said: "It is no secret that Imperial is one of the best universities in the world.

"I chose to study for a Master’s in Public Health, with a global health focus, to get a better understanding of the challenges faced by health care systems around the world and how they are addressed.

"In the future, I would like to work with the Ministry of Health in Uganda on programmes to reduce maternal and child mortality."

Professor Dallman visited Kenya earlier this year and met with Imperial’s growing alumni network there.