New PhD scholarship to elevate African research at the global level

Henley Business School, a leading global institution with campuses in the UK, Africa, Europe and Asia, has launched 18 new, fully funded PhD scholarships from its UK campus for the academic year 2024/2025.

In keeping with the school’s dedication to advancing knowledge and addressing contemporary business challenges, the scholarships are open to applicants across a broad spectrum of research areas, including reputation, leadership, international business and consumer behaviour. Three of the scholarships are specifically aligned with the World of Work Institute and the Centre for Business Ethics and Sustainability at Henley Business School in the UK, and one will be focused on an African context, aligning with research underway at Henley Business School Africa.

Jon Foster-Pedley, Dean and Director of Henley Business School Africa, says he is excited at the opportunities these scholarships offer aspiring African academics.

“At Henley, we are building life-long learners, fuelling the curious at heart, and creating a global community of impactful thought leaders. These fully funded PhD scholarships offered by Henley in the UK exemplify our commitment to advancing knowledge that matters for business and commerce globally so that leaders can make better and more agile decisions to steer their organisations forward.”

The Henley UK PhD experience offers students dedicated supervision and top-quality support. Scholarship holders will benefit from working with a diverse cohort of fellow students with a broad range of academic and professional backgrounds while being given the opportunity to contribute to the production of first-class research, for which the business school is renowned.

Students will be registered with and complete their studies at Henley Business School in the UK.

Professor Danie Petzer, Head of Research at Henley Business School Africa, emphasises the significance of a UK-based scholarship in driving research excellence on the continent.

“The fact that one of the scholarships being awarded will specifically align with research in an African context reflects Henley’s dedication to academic achievement on a global scale. What’s more, African scholarship has much to offer not just the continent but the world because of the unique perspective it can bring to a range of often interconnected social, economic, and environmental concerns.

Henley Business School Africa has been building its research capabilities in recent years in order to give people on the continent more freedom and confidence to express their ideas and help build a better Africa. The school has five established research centres, three of which are aligned with sister centres in the UK: the John Madjeski Centre for Reputation Africa, The Henley Centre for Leadership Africa, the Dunning Africa Centre, the Henley Africa Centre for Emerging Market Consumer Studies, and Henley Explore: Immersive Cases and Experiences. The school also collaborates with more than 40 academics and researchers across ten institutions in Africa and the global south. Recent research topics include ESG adoption and strategic integration, a motivational approach to curbing employee theft, export performance in the agricultural industry, emerging technologies and immersive learning, technology and land ownership challenges, climate action and African business schools, the artificial intelligence footprint in Africa, and project artistry in executive education.

“We encourage individuals with a passion for knowledge in any of these areas and who are ambitious to expand their global impact to seize this opportunity and apply for a Henley UK PhD scholarship,” says Prof Petzer. He adds that currently, Henley Business School Africa is not able to register PhD students in South Africa because it is still awaiting the outcome of its application for DBA accreditation from the relevant South African authority.

Applicants for the UK scholarships, who have had their PhD proposal accepted, are invited to submit their scholarship applications by 15 March 2024. While all applications received by this date will be given priority, submissions after the deadline may be considered if all scholarships are not awarded.

The scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit, cover tuition fees, and provide a three-year stipend aligned with the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) standards. As of the 2023/24 academic year, the UKRI stipend rate is £18,622 annually. Recipients can also access teaching assistantship opportunities, enhancing their academic experience and professional development.

For more information about the scholarship and application details, please contact postgraduate@henley.ac.uk or +44 (0)118 378 7593.