The Sainsbury Management Fellowship scheme was set up in 1987 by David Sainsbury (now Lord Sainsbury of Turville) to develop UK engineers into leaders in industry and thereby to improve the competitiveness of UK engineering, manufacturing and construction businesses. Lord Sainsbury felt that, when contrasted with many overseas companies, especially in Germany and Japan, the lack of qualified engineers on the boards of UK companies was to the detriment of the performance of UK industry.
The scheme supports engineers in undertaking a full-time MBA at a leading international business school.
By 2011, 24 years after its inception, the scheme had supported 275 engineers in gaining an MBA. Ongoing around 10 scholarships are awarded each year.[1][2][3][4]
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Awards are made to UK citizens who are Chartered Engineers (CEng status) and have a track record of achievement in industry, demonstrating their potential and ambition to rapidly achieve leadership positions in UK industry. Assessment includes attending an interview panel staffed by Fellows of the Sainsbury Management Fellowship and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
The SMF scheme is administered by the Royal Academy of Engineering. Applications can be made via their website.
After their MBA, Sainsbury Management Fellows are invited to join the Sainsbury Management Fellowship. This was established in 1993. SMF objectives are:
1 To raise awareness of the skills engineers can deliver as leaders amongst major corporations and policy makers and to raise awareness of the SMF as a leadership resource
2 To establish SMFs as opinion shapers in UK business and management, technology and innovation
3 To encourage entrepreneurial activities inside established companies and the creation of new companies
4 To encourage the development of young engineers into business leaders
5 To provide support to enable the continuing professional development of the membership
The Fellowship hosts a number of activities including continuing professional development, networking events and an annual dinner. SMFs have served as mentors to over 450 engineering undergraduates since 1997.
As at 2011, SMF has 275 members, with 265 members who have graduated from business schools in Europe and the United States and 10 who are studying for their degrees. All Fellows have undergraduate or graduate engineering degrees from leading institutions, as well as their MBA. Most have international experience and are multilingual. Of the business school graduates, 72% are employed in industry (of whom 70% are based in the UK or work for UK firms), 10% are in consulting, 12% are in Finance and the remaining 6% are in other occupations. Sixty Fellows own and manage small to medium sized enterprises. The average age is 37.[5]