University of the Western Cape

We are thrilled to have a new partner by our side: Together with the University of the Western Cape (UWC) we have set up a scholarship program that has been running since April 2020. In the current semester, the program has enabled a committed student from one of the numerous townships in Cape Town to study, which he could not have afforded with his own financial resources. Our scholarship holder for 2020 is called Rusche Petersen, comes from the Township Manenberg and, with our funding, has now officially been able to enroll in the diploma course “Sport, Development and Peace”.

No student will be left behind

The UWC is a state university in Bellville, a district of Cape Town in the South African province of Western Cape. ​The University of the Western Cape is a national university, which – with regards to its African and international context – strives to be a place of quality and a place for students to grow. It is committed to excellence in teaching, learning and research, to contribute to the cultural diversity of South Africa, and to responding in critical and creative ways to the needs of a society in transition.

The university is aware of a distinctive academic role in helping build an equitable and dynamic society. It aims to design curricular and research programs appropriate to its southern African context, assist educationally disadvantaged students gain access to higher education and succeed in their studies, seek racial and gender equality and provide opportunities for lifelong learning through programs and courses. UWC helps to conserve the environmental and cultural resources of the southern African region, and to encourage a wide awareness of these resources in the community. It co-operates with other stakeholders to develop an excellent higher education system. We are very happy to now also be among these stakeholders and to be able to contribute to the UWC mission of offering education within a holistic approach.

The scholarship program

In cooperation with Prof. Dr. Marion Keim, Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Sports Science and Development, and the international relations office at UWC we have selected a suitable student for our funding. Rusche Petersen, this year’s recipient of the scholarship, has a remarkable record of success both academically and socially. He grew up in one of the townships of South Africa and didn’t have the financial means to continue his studies. After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Sport Science, Recreational and Exercise Science he was now able to enroll in the postgraduate diploma in Sport, Development and Peace. He has a proven record of social activities and has contributed significantly to youth development within his community. We are very excited that we were able to help the first student with our funding and support him on his way to an academic future. The plan is to establish the scholarship program as a long-term cooperation, to enable more students to follow their dreams and support them on their career paths.