Exiled Iraqi benefactor funds 41 scholarships

Scholarships worth over £40,000 have been awarded to students starting their courses at the University of St Andrews this year, courtesy of an exiled Iraqi benefactor.

After securing prestigious Dangoor Scholarships, 41 students are embarking on a wide range of undergraduate courses including History, Medicine, English, Physics and Sustainable Development.

The scholarships are funded by former Iraqi refugee Naim Dangoor, who launched the £1 million scholarship scheme last December. Around 1000 UK students with strong academic promise, despite a background of financial or social disadvantage, have since been selected to study at a number of universities throughout the UK.

Naim Dangoor is an Iraqi Jewish businessman who left Iraq in the 1960’s to escape anti-Semitic persecution when the Baath Party came to power. He fled to England where he had studied engineering decades earlier, and built a property empire in exile.

Speaking in December at the launch of the scholarships, Mr Dangoor said, “I promised myself that, if I was ever able to help a British university student, I would, to assist the native people of the country that welcomed me. But I never dreamt I would be able to make such a big contribution.”

Director of Admissions Stephen Magee said, “We are delighted that the Dangoor family has chosen to support 41 students at St Andrews, and we are certain that these awards will make a significant difference to the way these students are able to start their studies”.

Further information available at http://www.1994group.ac.uk/level1/D angoorScholarships.htm.

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS – You are invited to send a reporter/photographer to Lower College Hall, St Salvator’s Quad, North Street, St Andrews at 1.15pm on Tuesday 1 November 2005 when Director of Admissions Stephen Magee will welcome the students.

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information, please contact Claire Grainger, Press Officer – 01334 462530, 07730 415 015 or [email protected]; Ref: press releases/dangoor View the latest University news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk