The scholarship will help provide talented Norwegian students with world-class ideas, networks, and expertise. Aker Scholarship’s objective is to inspire recipients to make a difference in the development of Norwegian business, industry, and society for the benefit of generations to come.

“The right individuals will get outstanding opportunities to learn from the world’s best —regardless of personal finances or family background,” say Aker Scholarship initiators Anne Grete Eidsvig and Kjell Inge Røkke.

The couple has established a non-profit foundation for education, and a scholarship in partnership with Aker ASA. The family’s company, TRG, will finance Aker Scholarships through donations to the foundation; Aker will administer the scholarship program. Initially, TRG’s donations will finance up to 20 scholarships annually; the figure may grow to 40 to 50 scholarships per year as the program gradually expands.

The first Aker Scholarship recipients will begin their studies in September 2016; the application deadline is 20 October 2015. In 2016, Aker will celebrate its 175th anniversary as an industrial company that has been a driving force in the development of Norway’s knowledge-based industries.

“Modern-day Norway — and Aker — have been shaped by smart, capable minds. Aker is proud to make it easier for talented people to make a real difference in how business and society advance,” says Aker President and CEO Øyvind Eriksen.

Aker Scholarship targets gifted individuals motivated to make society better and with demonstrated potential. An academic committee will assess candidates’ qualifications. The committee comprises leading Norwegian academics with state-of-the-art expertise in engineering, science, medicine, social sciences, and business and finance. Decisions as to scholarship winners will be made by the foundation’s board of directors.

From the outset, Aker Scholarships will be awarded for studies at Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Caltech, University of Pennsylvania, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, and National University of Singapore. Financial support will be provided throughout the study period and will supplement any other assistance so that the scholarship winner receives full financial support, including housing and living expenses, during his or her stay. Thus, the Aker Scholarship lends itself to tailor-making to meet each student’s needs. Scholarship winners also will receive assistance in their university application process and personal follow-up throughout their studies.

For further information, please contact:

Bjørn Blindheim, tel: +47 907 52 772
bjorn.blindheim@akerscholarship.no
www.akerscholarship.no