SANOFI, the multinational pharmaceutical, and healthcare company, introduced the Sanofi NextGen Scholarship, the first global higher education scholarship initiative for students from underrepresented backgrounds in healthcare professions.
The launch was held during the World Economic Forum’s 53rd Annual Meeting, in Davos.
The Sanofi NextGen Scholarship programme, which will launch this year in the UK and four other countries (Brazil, France, Japan, and the United States), will collaborate with leading higher education institutions around the world to identify up to 100 new talented students from underrepresented communities to become scholars.
It will assist students from ethnic minority groups, women, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community who wish to pursue careers as doctors, nurses, scientists, researchers, and other healthcare-related professions in paying tuition and other expenses at institutions of higher learning.
Paul Hudson, CEO of Sanofi, said: “As an innovative global healthcare company, we have a role to play in responding to the destabilising situation underrepresented populations are in when they need care. We aim to help build the next generation of diverse healthcare leaders. By also working to build trust through conversation and dialogue between underrepresented communities and healthcare stakeholders, we can help improve engagement and health outcomes for all.”
The Sanofi NextGen Scholarship initiative was launched in response to the findings of the first global survey of underrepresented groups’ trust in healthcare.
Sponsored by Sanofi, the survey results revealed a lack of trust in healthcare institutions among marginalised minorities.
According to the worldwide survey findings, 75 per cent of respondents from underrepresented demographics have had trust-damaging healthcare encounters.
Also, 59 per cent of global respondents from underrepresented populations want access to doctors from different backgrounds when it comes to confidence in healthcare.
Students can apply for the scholarship programme through university websites. Scholars will be provided funds to pay a portion of their university and living expenses once they are chosen.
Sanofi will provide students with development assistance, mentoring and internship opportunities, and prospective career prospects once they graduate, in addition to financial help.
In the next years, the initiative will be expanded to other nations.
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