1. Union of Austria: € 3’000

The grant will cover the tuition fee for a Masters (MA) in Intercultural competence. The new degree will qualify the grantee to make a change in her career and focus on tourism from a female gender point of view.

2.Union of Finland. € 4’000

Teacher of English and German. She received a European Label distinction 2010 for her language project. The results of her thesis will provide guidelines for schools teaching in a foreign language. This additional knowledge will be useful for other Finnish schools teaching in English. The scholarship will allow her to take 3 months of leave from her work to finish her thesis

3.Union of France: € 3’500

The grantee is a very dedicated student from Madagascar, determined to emphasize the ecological and economic situation of her country. country. The PhD thesis follows her experience and interest in ecotourism and social development. It is aligned with her professional project: to educate the local population, to help overcome nature's various issues and the helpin developing projects, as well local, regional and national in order to preserve marine ecosystems.

4.Union of Iceland: € 4’000

PhD Education Studies. The grantee was as a refugee in the USA as a youngster. Her field of study is multicultural education, where she will provide data about the progress of immigrants through the upper secondary school system. This will help educators by providing them with a framework to improve the academic success of immigrant youth.

5.Union of Israel: € 7’000

This young student is in her 3rd academic year of five for Architecture and Town Planning. If she is able to finish her 3rd year, she will be able to apply for a grant provided by the "Technion Institute" itself. She is one of many in a very large family. During her studies she must live in a dormitory in Haifa and every weekend she travels home to Jerusalem by bus.

6.Union of Italy: € 8’000

The grantee, a student from Rwanda, has been invited by Italian Soroptimists to participate in their project “African women: makers of their growth” by offering her the opportunity to follow a master study in Economy and Architecture. This study will focus on the subjects of the growth and development of underdeveloped countries in 2008. She still has one and half years of study left, in order to prepare her thesis. She will then return to her country to contribute to its development. She was funded by the SI Club Ferrara and in the by a private group of Soroptimist Friends.

7. Union of Madagascar: € 6’500

The 19 year old grantee has been exposed to the profession of managing a hotel. She wants to develop her professional skills by earning a diploma in advanced hospitality management, to then return to the hotel and tourism business. By doing this she hopes to contribute to the development of tourism in Madagascar and to create jobs for the local women. The grant will be used for fees and insurance.

8. Union of the Netherlands/Kenya: € 10’000

Master of Public Health: University fees. Being a medical doctor from Kenya, the grantee has seen firsthand the disparities in Kenya’s health systems and the obvious need to for improvement. Daily practice provided her with immense exposure to various public health issues and made her aware of the importance of primary health education, health promotion, health policy, and environmental health issues. The Master training will be an essential step forward in her personal career as a global health leader and researcher, and it will open up a world of opportunities for her to work in Kenya (focusing on the reduction of child and maternity mortality).

9. Union of Rwanda: € 5’500

During her career as teacher specialized in Psycho pedagogy, the applicant experienced the consequences of poverty among her pupils. She realized that the system is complex and that efforts in improving this situation need professional skills. She intends to study for a Master’s degree of Arts in Development Studies. The main objective is not to quit her career as an educator, but to be more useful within her community. She is in her last year of studies.

10. Union of Switzerland: € 8’000

The grantee, a student from China, intends to get a diploma in Hotel Management. Her Godmother, a Soroptimist from Geneva, provided her with the opportunity to continue her studies in Hotel Management, as her Chinese diploma does not give her the possibility to find a proper job in her own country. During her studies, she lives with her Godmother. At the end of this school year, her French will have improved enough to be on a level that she can start her studies. After her first year of her studies she will be working as a paid apprentice.

11. SC Ogre-Kegums, Latvia: € 2’000

Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources Management. The 22 year old grantee will be in her last year of studies. However, she would like to continue her studies and work on her Master’s degree. She has been working since the age of thirteen, supporting herself and contributing to her family. The grant will cover her tuition fees.

12. SC Chisinau, Moldova: € 3’000

Master program « Company’s Managerial and Marketing Strategies and Policies ». The grantee has shown excellent academic qualifications in her field and has already presented economic and social articles on diversity which have been well received by her professors. She will be in her last year of her Master’s programme.

13. SC Tunis-Ariana, Tunisia: € 5’500

The grantee has a MD in Music and Musicology. She intends to complete her PhD at the University of Paris. She has done research on original Tunisian music from 1920 to 1970. Through these studies, she analyses the influences of historical changes in Tunisian songs. She will focus on the following ethos: “Wanting to keep these documents means waning to help our children, not only to know but to understand”. She has to spend one week per month in Paris, in order to meet her supervisor at the University and to do some practical research. Through friends in Paris the Committee has found a less costly accommodation for the grantee.

Annabeth Studer Meyer, SI/E Scholarship Committee Chairperson