Shattering barriers for African MBA aspirants

African students currently make up about 5% of the MBA class, according to INSEASD, which also pointed out the school has a clear ambition to increase representation from Africa

by Staff Writer

INSEAD, a global business school, has received a €1.5 million grant from the AMPA Foundation, chaired by Luc Van Schil MBA'81, to establish the AMPA Endowed Scholarship in Africa.

According to INSEAD, the scholarship is one of the key initiatives it has for African students and will enable talented individuals from Sub-Saharan Africa to attend INSEAD's MBA School.

INSEAD (Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires) is a global business school founded in 1957 that has campuses in France, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and San Francisco while Luc Van Schil MBA’81 is a healthcare entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience.

After early career roles at McKinsey & Company and Baxter, he built and led healthcare distribution and manufacturing businesses and has worked in Mozambique in shipping and warehousing.

Through the AMPA Foundation, he supports entrepreneurship and investment across Africa.

In introducing the AMPA Endowed Scholarship for Africa, the school pointed out that with one of the world's youngest populations, Africa represents an important source of future global leadership talent.

“Ensuring access to world-class business education is essential to unlocking this potential — for organisations, economies, and societies worldwide,” INSEAD said in a statement.

African students currently make up about 5% of the MBA class, according to INSEASD, which also pointed out that "the school has a clear ambition to increase representation from Africa in the program over time."

“Africa is close to my heart, and as a proud INSEAD alumnus, I am delighted to support a school that has played such a defining role in my own journey,” said Luc Van Schil MBA’81. “Africa is rich in talent, and what I want to contribute is opening the doors of INSEAD to exceptional young people who deserve access to the very best education. After graduation, I also hope to welcome former scholarship recipients into the AMPA Foundation community, where they can share their skills and insights to support entrepreneurship and long-term impact across Africa.”

The scholarship will support two MBA candidates per year, starting with the August 2026 intake. Priority will be given to deserving students from Sub-Saharan African countries.

“We are deeply grateful to the AMPA Foundation and to Luc Van Schil for this remarkable gift,” said Francisco Veloso, Dean of INSEAD. “This scholarship reflects our belief that talent is everywhere, and that education should never be limited by financial circumstances. It strengthens our mission and enriches the diversity that defines the INSEAD experience.”

“Scholarships are essential to the strength of our MBA programme,” said Mark Stabile, Dean of Degree Programmes and Dean of the Europe Campus at INSEAD. “They allow us to attract exceptional talent from diverse backgrounds and ensure our classrooms reflect the global business environment our students will lead. Students from Africa bring essential cultural, social, and economic perspectives to the classroom, enriching discussions and strengthening learning outcomes for all participants.”