The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established as a specialised unit at the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) in 2011, in partnership with the Bertha Foundation, a family foundation that works with inspiring leaders who are catalysts for social and economic change.
In early 2018, the Bertha Centre celebrated six years of pioneering work in the field, with the inaugural Centre Review.
Through this partnership (Foundation & Centre) the GSB strengthens its commitment to transformation and equality and UCT’s strategic goal to address key development challenges facing Africa.
The Bertha Foundation supports activists, storytellers and lawyers across the world, who are working to bring about social and economic justice, and human rights for all. The Bertha Scholars at the GSB are part of this global Bertha Foundation network.
To date the Centre has awarded over R7 million in funding to more than 60 students from across the African continent.
What does the scholarship offer?
The Bertha Scholarship covers full or partial costs of the MBA (both full-time and the modular programme) and MPhil in Inclusive Innovation programmes at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business.
The scholarship entails joining an illustrious cohort of alumni, and a thriving community of dynamic change makers. Being a scholar is about joining a collective, as much as it is about propelling your own professional and personal trajectory.
Testimonials
“The Bertha Scholarship quite literally changed my life. I was at a point in my career where the next step was vague. I knew that I wanted to get involved with work that had more social impact. I had also been accepted at the GSB where the social entrepreneurship focus was perfectly aligned. The Bertha Scholarship not only alleviated the financial pressure of doing the MBA, but allowed me to completely embrace social entrepreneurship and social impact.” – Karimi Mwendia Fondaumiere (Modular MBA, 2012)
“Having access to the Bertha Scholarship gave me access to a higher education that I would’ve otherwise not afforded. Through the scholarship and the network of the Bertha Centre, our organisation Lumkani, which was in its infancy at the time, had access to finances and the right individuals to grow our young social enterprise.” – Francois Petousis (MPhil, 2014)
“The scholarship put me in between two worlds – the MBA and my social justice background. Without the scholarship I would not have gone to business school; I would not have learnt these new institutional languages. The space gave me the tools to create business models and organisations I hope to see in the world, but also forced me to strengthen my social justice work through various institutional struggles at the GSB.” – Ella Scheepers (MBA, 2015)
Who does the scholarship seek to support?
The Bertha scholarship is offered to innovators, entrepreneurs, out-of-the-box thinkers, system-entrepreneurs, change-makers, social activists and cross-disciplinary candidates from any field provided they are actively involved in the exploration of social, environmental and/or economic justice using innovative approaches.
In doing this, the Centre aims to diversify the student body at the GSB, by enabling scholars who might not have been able to study at the institution, and investing in their journey to increase their social impact as their career evolves.
The Centre recognises the systemic impact of nurturing cross-disciplinary/sector relationships and networks, and therefore are committed to growing its Scholar Alumni Community.
Am I eligible?
You are eligible for a Bertha Scholarship:
- if you meet the admission requirements of the university for your selected course of study.
- if you are an African citizen or permanent resident.
- if you are an entrepreneur who has started or worked with a social/green/entrepreneurial innovative idea that seeks social and/or economic change.
- if you are an intrapreneur who has worked on advancing social justice and pioneering inclusive opportunities through social innovation within an organisation.
- if you demonstrate strong leadership qualities within your field.
If you are interested, follow these steps to apply:
- Submit your MBA or MPhil in Inclusive Innovation programme application before the respective deadlines to the GSB.
- Submit the GSB Scholarship Application Form which should include:
- Your UCT GSB application number received from the GSB Admissions Office
- Your contact details and your CV uploaded.
- Your answers to the three essay questions, which shows how the degree programme at this stage in your career will help to accelerate impact in your area of work/interest and how it will contribute to society as a whole.
- Your short [no longer than four minute] video.
- In the choice of scholarship on the application form, remember to select the option for Focus on Social Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship (Bertha Scholarship).
Note: You will only be able to take up the Bertha Scholarship if you are successfully admitted to the UCT GSB programme for which you have applied.
Your submission will be assessed and you will only be contacted if you have been selected for an interview with the scholarship selection panel.
Timelines – 2018
| STAGE | DATE |
| 1. Applications Open | 1 August |
| 2. Application Deadline | 31 October |
| 3. Scholarship shortlisting (internal committee meeting) | 19 – 20 November |
| 4. Shortlisted applicants invited for interview | 23 November |
| 5. Interviews | 26 – 27 November |
| 6. Scholarship committee meeting (internal) | 4 – 5 December |
| 7. Scholarships offered | 7 December |
Learn more about our past Bertha Scholars here on our Bertha Alumni page.
Contact The Bertha Centre
E-mail: berthascholarships@gsb.uct.ac.za
Tel: +27 (0)21 406 1524 / 1514 or +27 (0)76 365 4440
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