The University of Cambridge is thrilled to announce a gift from the Eurofins Foundation to the Cambridge Trust to support students facing financial hardship, particularly those in the Life Sciences. The donation will create the Eurofins Bursary and Student Hardship Fund.

Life science postgraduate students are a crucial part of the University’s success as a research institution. In the field and in the laboratory, they are a vital source of fresh eyes, new approaches and bold ideas. Today’s research students are tomorrow’s professors and world-leading experts — investment in their research today will pay off for decades to come. The Eurofins Bursary and Student Hardship Fund will provide much-needed funding for students who need to extend their studies for 3-6 months in order to complete their dissertation or thesis, addressing a pressing need brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and helping students who would otherwise lack sufficient financial resources to complete their studies successfully. The Fund will also provide travel bursaries to allow Master’s and PhD students to conduct essential research away from Cambridge. The Fund will particularly seek to support students conducting research in the fields of cancer and crop science, in line with the Foundation’s objectives of improving health and nutrition.

The Eurofins Foundation was set up in 2019 and its objectives have been proposed based on the existing commitments of the global Eurofins’ community: contributing to global health and safety and protecting the environment. The Foundation is committed to supporting students who study or carry out research in fields aiming at contributing to safer and healthier lives but who lack sufficient financial resources.

Speaking about this gift, Helen Pennant, Director of the Cambridge Trust, said:

“In these times of economic difficulty, we have seen a dramatic increase in the need for additional financial support for students, so the support of the Eurofins Foundation is timely and deeply appreciated. This can make the difference between completing postgraduate study or not, for students whose studies and research have been set back by the COVID-19 pandemic, by allowing research students extra time and funds to complete their dissertations.”

Dr Gilles Martin, Eurofins Chief Executive Officer, said: “Eurofins Foundation is thrilled to be supporting talented students from one of the world’s leading educational and research institutions, whose work in the field of life science can contribute positively to advancing health for all."