The fund is meant for students who have the talent and ambition to study PPLE but do not have the financial means to do so. Thus, the fund is merit and need-based and should make the study of PPLE more accessible for everyone, regardless of socioeconomic background. The initiators are convinced that the fund will help PPLE fulfil its emancipatory mission - and contribute to narrowing the growing income gap in the Netherlands.

The driving forces behind the establishment of the fund are Venla Kropsu, one of the graduates this afternoon, and the project manager of the PPLE College, Nils Mevius. In 2019, as a then member of the Diversity Board, Kropsu was already toying with the idea of arranging something for talented students who cannot afford this study due to socio-economic reasons. Something she believes is needed, as PPLE students pay double the tuition fees due to the interdisciplinary and small-scale nature of the study.

Then, however, COVID came along and the idea faded into the background until Mevius contacted Kropsu. He had similar plans and wanted to organise something together with her. The result: the PPLE Scholarship Fund.

The first objective of the initiators is to raise 13,000 euros. An amount that equals three years of tuition fees - and thus a complete Bachelor's - at PPLE. In the longer term, the plans are somewhat more ambitious. If possible, talented students will also be helped with the purchase of study materials and, if necessary, with an allowance for living expenses. Kropsu: 'This way, people from less well-off backgrounds can solely focus on the study programme without the financial worries.’

The amount that was raised on 18 July in the Concertgebouw is therefore only a starting amount. ‘It was what we call a soft launch', says Paula Hentschel - Marketing and Communications Officer of PPLE. ‘We're still in the middle of the establishment phase, but we didn't want to let such a great opportunity pass us by.'

According to Hentschel, the plans for the future are going to work out just fine: 'We want to start fundraising through the corporate world. We already have some corporate connections through our alumni and internship programme. Through these channels, we also want to build relationships with other companies and organisations. Moreover, we are doing this in close cooperation with the Amsterdam University Fund, from which we can learn a lot.’

Do you also want to offer talented and ambitious students the opportunity to follow the education of their dreams?

You can also donate by contacting Juliette Nieuwland at j.m.m.nieuwland@uva.nl.