Tullow Oil Scholars Complete UK Masters Programmes

Eleven Ugandans, awarded scholarships in 2014 under the Tullow Group Scheme Scholarship (TGSS), have successfully completed their Masters’ programmes in various fields related to the oil and gas industry in the UK.

The graduates were recently hosted to a welcome reception organised by the British Council at Kampala Serena Hotel.

Jimmy Mugerwa, General Manager, Tullow Uganda, was pleased to welcome the students back from their studies saying it was a privilege for Tullow to facilitate this learning programme and to ensure that candidates grow and succeed in not just the oil and gas industry, but also the economic diversification in Uganda.

The Tullow Group Scholarship Scheme was set up to support talented nationals like the successful scholars we see here today. “By developing local capacity, we are investing in skilled human capital which is a critical resource for any business and more so in the growing oil and gas sector. I’d like to thank the British Council for their efforts and strong partnership with Tullow in making this scheme a success.”

This year the scheme supported postgraduate degrees in Engineering Management, Infrastructure Engineering, Environmental Technology & Petroleum and Gas Engineering. These postgraduate degrees were undertaken at the University of Birmingham, University of Surrey, Coventry University and University of Salford respectively.

Last year 11 students were selected from over 2,000 candidates who applied for the scholarships. Three of the scholarships were awarded to successful applicants from Hoima district where Tullow operates, to encourage local participation in the oil and gas industry.

Abdul-Nasser Segawa, MSc IT for the Oil and Gas Industry, Robert Gordon University, explained that the Tullow Group Scholarship was a great opportunity that not only helped them advance their education but also career aspirations.

“It was a cross-dimensional experience that has equipped me with the technical skills and professional competence I needed to achieve goals in an IT environment not only in Oil and Gas Industry. I was particularly impressed by the available learning resources and I enjoyed learning with people from different countries across the globe. I look forward to applying the knowledge I have gained from this course and contributing to a bigger picture that will advance the growth of my country.”

Carol Kasisira, returning scholar added being a student in the United Kingdom was a very enlightening and life changing experience, one that they will always be grateful for and look back to. “It led to significant personal and professional growth. The mesh of different ethnic, religious and philosophical backgrounds, coupled with having the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds in the water and environmental engineering field, allowed for a wonderful learning experience. There was so much to experience in the UK; the English culture, having a sandwich and tea as a meal, to the magnificent cathedrals and castles in Scotland, the amazing scenery in the Lake District, to mention but a few."

The Tullow Group Scholarship Scheme was launched on the 25th January 2012 offering 110 scholarship awards allocated across the following countries: Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Gabon, Mauritania, Cote d’Ivoire, French Guiana and Bangladesh.

The scholarships were made available to those students who were committed to making a contribution to their respective country’s development. The scheme is run in partnership with the British Council.