Marks & Spencer teams with Rabobank to offer agri-food scholarship

Posted 17 March 2014

Applications open for aspiring agricultural students

Harper Adams University is delighted to announce that retail giant Marks & Spencer will be the industry partner for the 2014 Rabobank Agri-food scholarship. 

Rabobank, the leading global food and agriculture bank, sponsors one Harper Adams University student to the tune of £9,000 for each of three years of study at the Shropshire campus. The scholarship also provides guaranteed employment with a partner agri-food company during the sandwich year of the degree course. A year getting to grips with the Marks & Spencer food supply chain lies ahead for the next Rabobank scholar, to be selected this summer.  

Sue Bell, Food Technical Executive at M&S, said: "We're proud to be involved in bringing through the next generation of talent into the agri-food sector. This is something we're passionate about at M&S, as the products we sell depend on a strong food industry with a talented and capable workforce. A year with us with be challenging but also very rewarding and, hopefully, a great start to someone's career."

Applications are now being accepted from students hoping to start on either the BSc (Hons) Agri-business or the BSc (Hons) Agri-food Marketing with Business Studies programmes at Harper Adams in September 2014.

Andrew Franklin, Rabobank’s Head of HR, Wholesale Europe, said: “Securing the future of the food and agri sector is something that is incredibly important to us. We are thrilled that M&S, a company that shares our values for a sustainable agricultural industry, is partnering with us for this year’s scholarship scheme. Over the last two years the scholarship has attracted the highest calibre of students and we are confident the coming academic year will be another great success.”

The Rabobank Agri-food Scholarship is exclusive to Harper Adams. University Vice-Chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn said: “The placement year with M&S will be a fantastic opportunity for our student to work for one of the UK’s leading food and drink retailers, and to gain valuable experience that will help prepare them for their future career.  We are enormously grateful to Marks & Spencer, and Rabobank, for the support they have provided for the scholarship programme.”

The scholarship is a competitive award, judged on the merit of the applicant, their written application and an interview. To be considered for an interview, candidates must have must have formally confirmed to UCAS their acceptance of a conditional firm or unconditional firm place on their course by June 2, 2014.  

All eligible candidates will be contacted by Harper Adams, but anyone seeking more information can email developmenttrust@harper-adams.ac.uk.