Birkbeck and Goldman Sachs announce partnership
The partnership will create opportunities for students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, focusing on assisting students that have been affected by COVID-19.
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Birkbeck and Goldman Sachs have announced a new partnership to address barriers to university study and support groups who are underrepresented in higher education to succeed.
The Goldman Sachs and Birkbeck Diversity Fund will create a suite of opportunities for non-traditional students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds to access education at Birkbeck and receive the financial and pastoral support needed to thrive at university.
The partnership, funded through Goldman Sachs Gives, will offer scholarships, bursaries and emergency hardship funds for current and incoming Birkbeck students from the BAME community. The scheme will also support Birkbeck’s outreach activities in London communities with low university participation rates to highlight the paths to education and remove barriers to access. The partnership will focus on assisting students that have been affected recently by COVID-19.
The announcement of this new partnership follows the launch of the #OurBirkbeck initiative which highlights the impact that Birkbeck community - alumni, friends, staff and students and supporters - are having on their communities, professions and society around the world.
Professor David Latchman CBE, Vice-Chancellor at Birkbeck, said:
“True to our nearly 200-year-old founding mission, Birkbeck continues to forge ahead at the cutting edge of education, opening our doors to students of all ages and backgrounds and nurturing them through our unique model of teaching.
“This new partnership with Goldman Sachs demonstrates the power of philanthropy and our shared commitment to support our communities – we are incredibly pleased to work alongside them and to count them as a valued supporter. The Goldman Sachs Diversity Development Fund will play a vital role in helping to remove barriers to study and provide students the support they need to stay on course for success.
“By continuing to collaborate with organisations that understand the importance of education and with a clear desire to make a positive impact we will ensure that access to education is open to all who want and need it, and empower those who have the passion to succeed.”
Anna Skoglund and Iain Drayton, Managing Directors at Goldman Sachs, added:
“We are excited to be launching this partnership with Birkbeck and work alongside a historic and innovative institution which gives access to the highest quality education and research to anyone who has the ability and drive to succeed, regardless of their circumstances. Goldman Sachs has a shared ambition to provide opportunities for underserved communities and believe the Goldman Sachs and Birkbeck Diversity Fund will be an excellent resource for students from black and minority ethnic backgrounds to access education at Birkbeck and receive the financial and pastoral support needed to thrive at university. We are proud to be joining the Birkbeck community of supporters in our shared commitment to advancing equal access to education across the globe.”
Further Information
- Find out more about #OurBirkbeck
- Financial support at Birkbeck