By Brenda Odhiambo

On Monday, January 27, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at USIU-Africa hosted Valeria Morera, Program Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po University, France. The meeting was a unique opportunity for cross-institutional collaboration, aimed at exchanging best practices in implementing the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Additionally, Valeria also interacted with the Scholars Council and Scholar mentors who shared the highlights of their experiences at USIU-Africa and also sought to know more about the graduate study opportunities at Sciences Po University.

Key areas of focus during the discussions included transitions, recruitment strategies, and approaches to Scholar support. The engagement underscored the importance of continuous learning and collaboration among institutions within the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program network. Through these exchanges, the Programs have an opportunity to refine their approaches and ensure that Mastercard Foundation Scholars have impactful experiences across institutions.

USIU-Africa and Sciences Po's collaboration has enabled six Mastercard Foundation Scholars to attend Sciences Po's Summer and Winter School Programs, where they gained foundational knowledge in humanities and social sciences alongside fellow Mastercard Foundation Scholars from partner institutions across the Mastercard Foundation partner network.