New expanded programme originally founded by Lord Sainsbury will provide eight MBA scholarships each year worth £50,000 to UK science graduates.

EIBF, the UK registered charity that promotes business education for engineers and scientists, and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK’s National Metrology Institute, are partnering on an MBA scholarship scheme that will provide business education for scientists. The collaboration will provide MBA scholarships worth £50,000 to eight UK science graduates each year.   

EIBF funds the Sainsbury Management Fellows MBA scholarship programme, which was originally founded in 1987 by Lord Sainsbury of Turville. Lord Sainsbury hoped that engineers who also learned business skills would go on to set up their own high-tech businesses or progress to hold leadership positions at large UK companies.  

To date, the programme has been very successful, with more than 400 engineers graduating from top international business schools. Known as Sainsbury Management Fellows, these business school graduates have gone on to set up over 300 new companies with a combined value of almost £5 billion, which have also created more than 21,000 jobs in the UK.

Now, in a bid to build on the UK’s international reputation as a leader in scientific research, the Sainsbury MBA scholarship programme is being expanded to science graduates. The new programme will be called the Sainsbury Science Management Fellows Scholarship.

Five scholarships will be available this year, rising to eight in 2025/26 and thereafter. The scholarships will cover a full-time MBA study course at the following business schools, which are all linked to the top science research universities in the UK:

• Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
• Cambridge Judge Business School
• Imperial College Business School
• Warwick Business School
• Alliance Manchester Business School
• Cranfield School of Management
   

Applicants must have a first degree in a science discipline and demonstrate a clear commitment to the economic development of the UK. The scholarships are open to UK nationals currently living in the country.

EIBF and NPL will partner to administer the scholarship award process. Successful applicants will become part of the SMF alumni network of senior UK and world business leaders. Sainsbury Management Fellows attend networking activities and actively engage and collaborate with one another in business ventures.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville, settlor of EIBF, commented on the new programme for scientists, “The success of the Sainsbury Engineering Management Fellows has led me to believe that we should widen the impact of the scholarship scheme by helping those who have scientific degrees to also acquire business skills. An MBA will provide scientists with credible business skills, allowing them to transform their innovations into commercial products.”

Dr Peter Thompson, CEO, NPL, said, “I’m delighted that we are working with EIBF, a charity that has been advocating the importance of business education for engineers for many years. Expanding the programme to support UK scientists opens up the opportunity for fellows to combine their technical skills with world-class business education to make a difference.” 

David Falzani MBE, Chair of EIBF, said, “We are grateful to Lord Sainsbury for providing the funding for the Sainsbury Science Management Fellows programme. We look forward to working with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to provide this excellent opportunity to UK scientists. Along with all the Sainsbury Engineering Management Fellows, we look forward to welcoming the scientists who will add inestimable value and diversity to our networking community.”

Learn About the scheme

About NPL

NPL is the UK’s National Metrology Institute, providing the measurement capability that underpins the UK's prosperity and quality of life.

From new antibiotics to tackle resistance and more effective cancer treatments, to secure quantum communications and superfast 5G, technological advances must be built on a foundation of reliable measurement to succeed. Building on over a century’s worth of expertise, our science, engineering and technology provides this foundation. We save lives, protect the environment and enable citizens to feel safe and secure, as well as support international trade and commercial innovation. As a national laboratory, our advice is always impartial and independent, meaning consumers, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs can always rely on the work we do.

Based in Teddington, south-west London, NPL employs over 800 scientists. NPL also has regional bases across the UK, including at the University of Surrey, the University of Strathclyde, the University of Cambridge and the University of Huddersfield's 3M Buckley Innovation Centre.