Karusoke becomes third Ugandan selected for Gates Cambridge scholarship

The Gates Cambridge Trust has announced the 95 outstanding scholars and future leaders who will form the 25th cohort of Gates Cambridge Scholars, including Daphne Karusoke, who becomes the third scholar from Uganda.

This year's selection marks a quarter century of the prestigious postgraduate scholarship program, which has awarded 2,218 scholarships to scholars from 112 countries since its inception in 2001.

According to a statement by Gates Cambridge Trust, the 2025 scholars, comprising 57 PhD and 38 MPhil students, represent 35 different primary nationalities and will begin their studies at the University of Cambridge in October. Their research covers a wide range of topics, from space agriculture and bilingualism to cyberbiosecurity and building responsible AI systems for supporting disabled communities.

This year, the Trust is boosting its numbers, particularly in underrepresented countries. It has its second scholar from Georgia, its third from Uganda, Belarus, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, its fourth from the Syrian Arab Republic, and its sixth from the Philippines.

Professor Eilís Ferran, Provost of the Gates Cambridge Trust, said, "I'm delighted to announce our 25th anniversary cohort of 95 new scholars. Gates Cambridge has always selected scholars based on their outstanding academic achievement and their commitment to change the world for the better. Already they are having a ripple effect in the many disciplines and industry sectors they have gone on to work in."

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship program was established through a $210 million donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000. Since its inception, Gates Cambridge Scholars have created a ripple effect around the world, tackling global challenges and achieving remarkable careers in various fields, including public health, international relations, chemistry, information technology, and oceanography.

To commemorate its 25th anniversary, the Trust held several events, including the Impact Prize ceremony, where eight scholars were awarded for their outstanding work in fields such as quantum physics, documentary filming, plant science, and wildlife cinematography.

The Gates Cambridge Annual Lecture was delivered by Winnie Byanyima, head of UNAIDS, who emphasized the need to recognize health as a human right.

Bill Gates, co-founder of the Gates Foundation and Microsoft, said, "When we started the Gates Cambridge Scholarship in 2000, we wanted to help exceptional students from all over the world experience the university's 800-year legacy of higher education, learn from each other, and prepare to be global leaders. Twenty-five years later, the alumni of the program have gone on to remarkable careers... We couldn't be prouder of the difference they're making, and the leaders they have become."

Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge and Chair of the Board of the Gates Cambridge Trust, added, "We are incredibly proud of all that Gates Cambridge has achieved. This exceptional program is successfully producing the leaders that will address many of the common challenges facing humanity. As we celebrate 25 years of impact, we look forward with excitement to what the next 25 years will bring."

About Daphne Karusoke

She was born and raised in Uganda, East Africa. She has a bachelor’s degree in medicine (MBChB) from Makerere university and a master's degree in anaesthesia and critical care. This positions her at the forefront of acute care in hospital emergency departments, operating theatres and the intensive care unit (ICU). Traumatic brain injury is a growing global health problem with a disproportionately higher burden in LMICs like Uganda, majorly affecting young males, resulting in death or disability and leaving the survivors and their families adversely affected.

Her PhD work is focussed on the economic cost and systems impact of traumatic brain injury in the East African region.