DeepMind was established in London in 2010 and its DeepMind scholarships are part of a wider initiative by the company to broaden participation in science and support the wider research ecosystem, including Africa.
Five scholarships will go to SU students who wish to pursue a two-year MSc degree in Applied Mathematics or Computer Science or an MEng degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Three further scholarships will go to SU students who have been accepted to study towards a PhD in Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mathematical Statistics or Statistics.
These scholarships will be available to students from all over sub-Saharan Africa who wish to pursue research related to machine learning, with recipients selected by the university to commence their courses in 2021. The DeepMind Scholarship programme gives talented students from groups currently underrepresented in machine learning, including women, the support that they need to study at leading universities. Fees are paid in full and recipients are provided with guidance and support from DeepMind mentors.
“DeepMind was one of the major sponsors of the Deep Learning Indaba hosted by Stellenbosch University in 2018 and we have been building a relationship with DeepMind ever since,” says Willie Brink, associate professor of applied mathematics and coordinator of the DeepMind Scholarships at SU.
“I’m absolutely delighted to announce DeepMind’s first scholarship programme on the African continent. Despite the wealth of talented students in Africa, relatively few pursue advanced study or research-focused careers in AI and machine learning. To ensure that AI is a technology of global benefit, increasing African participation is vital,” says Obum Ekeke, university relations and education lead at DeepMind.
