- The European Hands-On Science Research Programme Brings the Amgen Foundation's Total Commitment to Amgen Scholars to 27.5 Million USD
—
CAMBRIDGE, England, November 10CAMBRIDGE, England, November 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The Amgen Foundation and the University of Cambridge, along with two other leading European universities, today announced the launch of Amgen Scholars Europe, a 2.5 million USD, two-year programme that will provide more than 100 selected undergraduate students from throughout Europe the opportunity to engage in a hands-on summer research experience under top academic scientists at three world class universities.
"With the launch of the Amgen Scholars Programme in Europe, undergraduates from many nations will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the real world of research and experience firsthand what it takes to contribute to the advancement of knowledge," said Jean J. Lim, president of the Amgen Foundation. "Under the guidance of distinguished faculty mentors, we hope the Scholars will be inspired to discover their potential as future scientists."
In addition to Cambridge, the participating universities are Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen in Germany. For the first phase of the programme, which extends through 2010, each of the three university partners will receive funding to host the summer research programme, selecting undergraduate participants from colleges and universities across Europe. Cambridge will also serve as the European Coordinating Centre and play a leading role in providing coordination, technical oversight and student outreach for the programme, in addition to hosting the first Amgen Scholars European Symposium in September 2009.
"The Amgen Scholars Programme will provide undergraduate students from across Europe with a fantastic opportunity to experience the scientific discovery process, as well as to network with top scientists and industry leaders," said Professor Tony Minson, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge and the Director of the Amgen Scholars European Coordinating Centre. "We hope that this will inspire more young people to consider scientific careers -- at a time when the education of the next generation of scientists is more important than ever."
Amgen Scholars will participate in research projects, scientific seminars and other networking events. All participating students will have the opportunity to take part in an annual three-day symposium towards the end of the summer programme. At the symposium, students will have the opportunity to share their summer research projects, to hear firsthand from leading scientists working in industry and academia, and to network with other Amgen Scholars from across Europe.
Each year, students from across the United States (U.S.) participate in the Amgen Scholars Programme under renowned faculty members at the country's leading universities. A signature Amgen Foundation education initiative, Amgen Scholars is already a 25 million USD, eight-year programme at ten premier universities throughout the U.S., including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley.
Financial support for students is a critical component of the U.S. and European programmes, which aims to ensure that eligible students, regardless of their financial status, are able to participate. Please note that details vary by host university.
For more information about Amgen Scholars including eligibility criteria and applications, please visit http://www.amgenscholars.eu.
About the Amgen Foundation
The Amgen Foundation http://www.amgen.com/citizenship/overview.html) seeks to advance science education; improve patient access to quality care; and strengthen the communities where Amgen staff members live and work. Since 1991, the Foundation has made more than 125 million USD in grants to nonprofit organisations throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Europe that impact society in inspiring and innovative ways. It has also supported disaster relief efforts both domestically and internationally.
About the University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge was established nearly 800 years ago and is made up of 31 colleges and more than a hundred departments. Cambridge is one of the top-ranking universities in the world. Its mission is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence. At the heart of that mission are its core values of freedom of thought and expression and freedom from discrimination. The University of Cambridge has been the birthplace and touchstone for many of the most significant scientific breakthroughs since science began. As Cambridge enters its eight hundredth anniversary year in 2009 its eyes are firmly on the future, and ensuring that the modern University continues to be a leading international centre for study and research. Find out more at http://www.cam.ac.uk.
CONTACTS: Annette Condon, +353-87-284-1951 (EU media, Amgen) Kristen Davis, +1-805-447-3008 (US media, Amgen) Lisa Costello, +44(0)1223-339671 (University of Cambridge)
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081015/AMGENLOGO)
© Copyright 1995-2009 Pharmalicensing, a division of UTEK Europe Ltd 
All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions | Contact us
