Rhodes Trust

THE RHODES TRUST IS A FOREIGN PUBLIC CHARITY WHOSE PRIMARY EXEMPT CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE IS TO SUPPORT THE MAINTENANCE OF SELECTED OVERSEAS STUDENTS AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)

THE RHODES TRUST SUPPORTS A PREMIER GLOBAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES ACADEMIC FEES, MAINTENANCE FUNDING AND ANCILLARY COSTS TO SELECTED INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS IN SUPPORT OF ITS MISSION. IT PROVIDES A PROGRAM OF CHARACTER, SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING TO ITS SCHOLARS. MAJOR ANCILLARY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ENTERED INTO WITH THE CREATION OF THE ATLANTIC INSTITUTE, WHICH PROVIDES CENTRAL CONVENING AND SUPPORT STRUCTURES TO 5/6 FOCUSED RESEARCH GROUPS EMBEDDED IN OTHER UNIVERSITIES, AND OF THE SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH SELECTS AND FUNDS POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS IN STEM SUBJECTS ALONGSIDE A SIMILAR PROGRAM OF CHARACTER, SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING. ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE YEAR THE TRUST IS WORKING TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY STRATEGIC PLAN, APPROVED BY THE TRUSTEES IN JUNE 2019, WITH THE AMBITION THAT BY ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2028, THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIP WILL BE: THE WORLD'S PREEMINENT GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP, KNOWN FOR -WORLD-CLASS GLOBAL SELECTION AND OUTREACH PROCESSES THAT IDENTIFY THE NEXT GENERATION OF PUBLIC-SPIRITED YOUNG PEOPLE COMMITTED TO SOLVING HUMANITY'S CHALLENGES; -AN EXCELLENT SCHOLAR EXPERIENCE THAT ENABLES STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE RICH OPPORTUNITIES ON OFFER IN OXFORD WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A SIGNATURE PEER LEARNING PROGRAMME FOCUSED ON CHARACTER, SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP; -A VIBRANT LIFELONG FELLOWSHIP THAT MEANINGFULLY AND MEASURABLY CONTRIBUTES TO SCHOLARS LEARNING, SERVICE AND IMPACT ACROSS EVERY STAGE OF THEIR LIVES AND CAREERS AND THAT FOSTERS CROSS-GENERATIONAL MENTORING AND SUPPORT. THIS YEAR'S KEY OBJECTIVES AND ACHIEVEMENTS AGAINST THOSE OBJECTIVES, ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN A SECOND YEAR SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, WHICH FURTHER THE LEGAL PURPOSES OF THE TRUST ARE SUMMARISED BELOW: SELECTION AND OUTREACH -IMPROVEMENTS TO GOVERNANCE, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT, A DISCIPLINARY POLICY AND COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE AND A CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY. -THE LAUNCH OF THE RHODES TRUST OUTREACH AMBASSADORS PROGRAMME FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL PILOT IN 2020, WHICH HAS ALREADY LED TO INCREASED APPLICATION NUMBERS IN THE PILOT CONSTITUENCIES. - A MOVE TO ENTIRELY VIRTUAL SELECTION (DUE TO THE PANDEMIC), AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEST PRACTICE, GUIDANCE AND TRAINING TO HELP CONSTITUENCIES SUCCESSFULLY RUN THEIR SELECTION PROCESSES ONLINE. - RECRUITMENT OF NEW NATIONAL SECRETARIES FOR ZAMBIA, ZIMBABWE, KENYA, JAMAICA, COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN AND EAST AFRICA, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF DEPUTY NATIONAL SECRETARIES. SCHOLAR EXPERIENCE - DEAN OF SCHOLARSHIPS, DR DOYIN ATEWOLOGUN, JOINED THE TRUST IN JUNE 2020 AND DR J DANIEL LUTHER AS SCHOLAR PROGRAMME MANAGER IN AUGUST 2021 TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SCHOLARS IN RESIDENCE. DR ATEWOLOGUN HAS ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE WARDEN, HR AND OTHER COLLEAGUES TO LEAD THE STAFF LEGACY, EQUITY & INCLUSION PROGRAMME. - STIPEND EXTENSIONS WERE AWARDED TO 17 SCHOLARS WHOSE DPHIL COURSES WERE EXTENDED, OR RESEARCH DELAYED DUE TO COVID 19. THESE COSTS WERE MET BY THE PROVISION SET ASIDE IN THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 2020 FOR THE COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL COSTS ARISING FROM THE DISRUPTION ARISING TO SCHOLAR STUDIES OVER THE NEXT 3 ACADEMIC YEARS FROM COVID 19. NOTABLY 32 SCHOLARS WILL BE SUPPORTED IN THIS WAY THROUGH 2021/2. - SCHOLARS' NEEDS WITH RESPECT TO COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS WERE SUPPORTED IN MANY WAYS, INCLUDING THE FINANCING OF QUARANTINE HOTELS WHEN REQUIRED. LIFELONG FELLOWSHIP - WHILE WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HOST IN PERSON EVENTS OR REUNIONS DURING THE TIME OF COVID AND THE BUILDING PROJECT AT RHODES HOUSE, WE HAVE PIVOTED TO A DIGITAL MODE OF WORKING THAT HAS ENABLED THE TRUST TO ENGAGE WITH A LARGER NUMBER OF ALUMNI ACROSS CONSTITUENCIES AND CLASS YEARS. IN 2020/21 OVER 1,300 RHODES SCHOLARS CONNECTED AT LEAST ONCE IN THE VIRTUAL REUNIONS AND TALKS THAT THE TRUST HOSTED, INCLUDING FIRESIDE CHATS WITH PROF JOHN EDGAR WIDEMAN (PENNSYLVANIA & NEW COLLEGE 1963), SESSIONS WITH TRUSTEES ON THE FINANCES AND STRUCTURE OF THE TRUST, AND ALUMS AND CLASS REUNIONS FROM THE 1950S TO THE 2010S. -THE RHODES SCHOLAR SURVEY WAS COMPLETED BY ROUGHLY 25% OF LIVING ALUMS, AND WILL PROVIDE INPUTS TO OUR PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING LEGACY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND HELP US BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN FUTURE. - THE NEW RHODES DIGITAL COMMUNITY "RHODES CONNECT" WAS ROLLED OUT TO SCHOLAR ALUMS IN JUNE 2021. ALMOST 1,700 MEMBERS ARE ALREADY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND HAVE SIGNED UP TO INTEREST GROUPS AND GROUPS LINKED TO THEIR ELECTION YEARS. - PLANNING IS UNDERWAY FOR THE LAUNCH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN OXFORD GRADUATE COLLEGE, OF A CURATED, COHORT-BASED PROGRAMME FOCUSED ON PURPOSE, REFLECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE AIMED AT PARTICIPANTS WITH SIGNIFICANT LIFE AND WORK EXPERIENCE. - THE LIFELONG FELLOWSHIP TEAM IS NOW COMPLETE WITH THE RECENT ARRIVAL OF SORINA CAMPEAN AS HEAD OF LIFELONG FELLOWSHIP, AND HELEN NICHOLSON AS ALUMNI RELATIONS MANAGER. THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF A PROGRAMME OF CURATED ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS GEARED TOWARDS THE NEEDS OF THE GLOBAL RHODES COMMUNITY. ATLANTIC INSTITUTE (AI) - THE AI FULLY IMPLEMENTED THE STRATEGIC REVIEW INCLUDING THE ON-BOARDING OF 9 NEW STAFF MEMBERS DRAWING IN EXPERTISE IN DATA INSIGHT ANALYSIS, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY BUILDING, EVALUATION, GRANTS AND FUNDING, AND AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITIES. - WE SUCCESSFULLY PIVOTED TO A VIRTUAL EXISTENCE WITH THE ADOPTION OF NEW PLATFORMS AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES (AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITIES) TO DIVERSIFY PROGRAMMING FOR GLOBAL FELLOWS AND PROGRAM STAFF DURING COVID. - WE DELIVERED A SUITE OF ON-LINE WEBINARS AND EVENTS FOR FELLOWS AND STAFF AS WELL AS FELLOWSHIP OF FELLOWSHIP PARTNERS (OBAMA FELLOWS, RODDENBERRY FELLOWS, SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS AND THE TRUST). - WE IMPLEMENTED NEW APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY BUILDING ACROSS THE AI COMMUNITY INCLUDING THE REDESIGN OF OUR ONLINE HUB, FELLOW AFFINITY GROUPS AND GRANTS. SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS - SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS SUCCESSFULLY MAINTAINED AND DEVELOPED ITS OPERATIONS THROUGH A COMPLETE SHIFT TO ONLINE DELIVERY, INCLUDING SELECTION OF THE 2021 COHORT OF FELLOWS AND SUBSEQUENT ONBOARDING, GLOBAL MEETING PROGRAMMING, AND ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT. - ANNOUNCEMENT BY SCHMIDT FUTURES AND THE RHODES TRUST OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE THE SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS PROGRAM, WITH A GOAL OF CONTINUING FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS AND POTENTIALLY MUCH LONGER. - DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE THE PROGRAM THROUGH TO 2025, INCLUDING A COMMITMENT TO EXPLORE AND DEVELOP NEW INITIATIVES TO REMOVE OBSTACLES TO INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY MORE BROADLY. - GROWTH IN THE SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS COMMUNITY TO 84 FELLOWS, ACROSS FOUR COHORTS OF ACTIVE AND SENIOR FELLOWS (ALUMNI), AND A SUCCESSFUL ON-BOARDING OF THE 2021 FELLOWS, INCLUDING TO PLACEMENTS AT NEW HOST INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE SWISS FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF AQUATIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE, AND IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON. THE MANDELA RHODES FOUNDATION (MRF) - UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CEO JUDY SIKUZA, MRF HAS COMPLETED A REBRANDING PROCESS AND LAUNCHED A STRATEGIC PLAN FOCUSED ON GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION, ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT, AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP - MRF IS CONDUCTING SELECTION VIRTUALLY IN 2021 AS IT DID IN 2020. SINCE 2003, 558 MRF SCHOLARS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FROM 30 AFRICAN COUNTRIES, WITH 25 COUNTRIES STILL TO GO TO REACH THE GOAL OF HAVING MRF SCHOLARS FROM EVERY COUNTRY ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY WITH A FOCUS ON 12 PRIORITY COUNTRIES. - MRF HAS LAUNCHED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMMES TO ENGAGE ITS ALUMNI. ONE OF THESE IS THE NIT PRIZE, CREATED THROUGH A GIFT FROM RHODES SCHOLAR DAVID COHEN (SOUTH AFRICA-AT-LARGE & BALLIOL 1983). IT IS AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PRIZE OPEN TO MRF AND RHODES ALUMNI FROM THE CLASSES OF 2005 TO THE PRESENT WHOSE EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON SOCIAL IMPACT ON THE CONTINENT. THE FIRST GROUP OF NIT PRIZE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY THE END OF 2021. - RHODES AND MRF TRUSTEES ARE DEVELOPING A NEW MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO GUIDE THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THE PARTNERSHIP. - PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR A TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION FOR MRF IN 2023, WHICH WILL ALSO MARK THE 120TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RHODES TRUST. RISE -THE FIRST PHASE OF THE RISE SELECTION PROCESS COMMENCED IN NOVEMBER 2020, WITH 10,000 COMPLETED AND ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS ADMITTED TO THE SECOND PHASE BY FEBRUARY 2021. APPLICANTS COMPLETED FOUR CHALLENGES, PEER REVIEW, A PUZZLE QUIZ, AND A WRITTEN PROJECT SUMMARY, WITH THE PROCESS CAREFULLY DESIGNED TO BE AGE AND CONTEXT SPECIFIC. ALGORITHMIC ANALYSIS OF OVER 3,000 STUDENTS SURFACED 2,000 CANDIDATES FOR FURTHER EVALUATION BY EXPERT EVALUATION, RESULTING IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF 500 RISE FINALISTS.

THE RHODES TRUST SUPPORTS A PREMIER GLOBAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES ACADEMIC FEES, MAINTENANCE FUNDING AND ANCILLARY COSTS TO SELECTED INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS IN SUPPORT OF ITS MISSION. IT PROVIDES A PROGRAM OF CHARACTER, SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING TO ITS SCHOLARS. MAJOR ANCILLARY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ENTERED INTO WITH THE CREATION OF THE ATLANTIC INSTITUTE, WHICH PROVIDES CENTRAL CONVENING AND SUPPORT STRUCTURES TO 5/6 FOCUSED RESEARCH GROUPS EMBEDDED IN OTHER UNIVERSITIES, AND OF THE SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH SELECTS AND FUNDS POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS IN STEM SUBJECTS ALONGSIDE A SIMILAR PROGRAM OF CHARACTER, SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING. ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE YEAR THE TRUST IS WORKING TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY STRATEGIC PLAN, APPROVED BY THE TRUSTEES IN JUNE 2019, WITH THE AMBITION THAT BY ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2028, THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIP WILL BE: THE WORLD'S PREEMINENT GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP, KNOWN FOR -WORLD-CLASS GLOBAL SELECTION AND OUTREACH PROCESSES THAT IDENTIFY THE NEXT GENERATION OF PUBLIC-SPIRITED YOUNG PEOPLE COMMITTED TO SOLVING HUMANITY'S CHALLENGES; -AN EXCELLENT SCHOLAR EXPERIENCE THAT ENABLES STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE RICH OPPORTUNITIES ON OFFER IN OXFORD WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A SIGNATURE PEER LEARNING PROGRAMME FOCUSED ON CHARACTER, SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP; -A VIBRANT LIFELONG FELLOWSHIP THAT MEANINGFULLY AND MEASURABLY CONTRIBUTES TO SCHOLARS LEARNING, SERVICE AND IMPACT ACROSS EVERY STAGE OF THEIR LIVES AND CAREERS AND THAT FOSTERS CROSS-GENERATIONAL MENTORING AND SUPPORT. THIS YEAR'S KEY OBJECTIVES AND ACHIEVEMENTS AGAINST THOSE OBJECTIVES, ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN A SECOND YEAR SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, WHICH FURTHER THE LEGAL PURPOSES OF THE TRUST ARE SUMMARISED BELOW: SELECTION AND OUTREACH -IMPROVEMENTS TO GOVERNANCE, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT, A DISCIPLINARY POLICY AND COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE AND A CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY. -THE LAUNCH OF THE RHODES TRUST OUTREACH AMBASSADORS PROGRAMME FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL PILOT IN 2020, WHICH HAS ALREADY LED TO INCREASED APPLICATION NUMBERS IN THE PILOT CONSTITUENCIES. - A MOVE TO ENTIRELY VIRTUAL SELECTION (DUE TO THE PANDEMIC), AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEST PRACTICE, GUIDANCE AND TRAINING TO HELP CONSTITUENCIES SUCCESSFULLY RUN THEIR SELECTION PROCESSES ONLINE. - RECRUITMENT OF NEW NATIONAL SECRETARIES FOR ZAMBIA, ZIMBABWE, KENYA, JAMAICA, COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN AND EAST AFRICA, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF DEPUTY NATIONAL SECRETARIES. SCHOLAR EXPERIENCE - DEAN OF SCHOLARSHIPS, DR DOYIN ATEWOLOGUN, JOINED THE TRUST IN JUNE 2020 AND DR J DANIEL LUTHER AS SCHOLAR PROGRAMME MANAGER IN AUGUST 2021 TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SCHOLARS IN RESIDENCE. DR ATEWOLOGUN HAS ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE WARDEN, HR AND OTHER COLLEAGUES TO LEAD THE STAFF LEGACY, EQUITY & INCLUSION PROGRAMME. - STIPEND EXTENSIONS WERE AWARDED TO 17 SCHOLARS WHOSE DPHIL COURSES WERE EXTENDED, OR RESEARCH DELAYED DUE TO COVID 19. THESE COSTS WERE MET BY THE PROVISION SET ASIDE IN THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 2020 FOR THE COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL COSTS ARISING FROM THE DISRUPTION ARISING TO SCHOLAR STUDIES OVER THE NEXT 3 ACADEMIC YEARS FROM COVID 19. NOTABLY 32 SCHOLARS WILL BE SUPPORTED IN THIS WAY THROUGH 2021/2. - SCHOLARS' NEEDS WITH RESPECT TO COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS WERE SUPPORTED IN MANY WAYS, INCLUDING THE FINANCING OF QUARANTINE HOTELS WHEN REQUIRED. LIFELONG FELLOWSHIP - WHILE WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HOST IN PERSON EVENTS OR REUNIONS DURING THE TIME OF COVID AND THE BUILDING PROJECT AT RHODES HOUSE, WE HAVE PIVOTED TO A DIGITAL MODE OF WORKING THAT HAS ENABLED THE TRUST TO ENGAGE WITH A LARGER NUMBER OF ALUMNI ACROSS CONSTITUENCIES AND CLASS YEARS. IN 2020/21 OVER 1,300 RHODES SCHOLARS CONNECTED AT LEAST ONCE IN THE VIRTUAL REUNIONS AND TALKS THAT THE TRUST HOSTED, INCLUDING FIRESIDE CHATS WITH PROF JOHN EDGAR WIDEMAN (PENNSYLVANIA & NEW COLLEGE 1963), SESSIONS WITH TRUSTEES ON THE FINANCES AND STRUCTURE OF THE TRUST, AND ALUMS AND CLASS REUNIONS FROM THE 1950S TO THE 2010S. -THE RHODES SCHOLAR SURVEY WAS COMPLETED BY ROUGHLY 25% OF LIVING ALUMS, AND WILL PROVIDE INPUTS TO OUR PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING LEGACY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND HELP US BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN FUTURE. - THE NEW RHODES DIGITAL COMMUNITY "RHODES CONNECT" WAS ROLLED OUT TO SCHOLAR ALUMS IN JUNE 2021. ALMOST 1,700 MEMBERS ARE ALREADY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND HAVE SIGNED UP TO INTEREST GROUPS AND GROUPS LINKED TO THEIR ELECTION YEARS. - PLANNING IS UNDERWAY FOR THE LAUNCH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN OXFORD GRADUATE COLLEGE, OF A CURATED, COHORT-BASED PROGRAMME FOCUSED ON PURPOSE, REFLECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE AIMED AT PARTICIPANTS WITH SIGNIFICANT LIFE AND WORK EXPERIENCE. - THE LIFELONG FELLOWSHIP TEAM IS NOW COMPLETE WITH THE RECENT ARRIVAL OF SORINA CAMPEAN AS HEAD OF LIFELONG FELLOWSHIP, AND HELEN NICHOLSON AS ALUMNI RELATIONS MANAGER. THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF A PROGRAMME OF CURATED ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS GEARED TOWARDS THE NEEDS OF THE GLOBAL RHODES COMMUNITY. ATLANTIC INSTITUTE (AI) - THE AI FULLY IMPLEMENTED THE STRATEGIC REVIEW INCLUDING THE ON-BOARDING OF 9 NEW STAFF MEMBERS DRAWING IN EXPERTISE IN DATA INSIGHT ANALYSIS, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY BUILDING, EVALUATION, GRANTS AND FUNDING, AND AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITIES. - WE SUCCESSFULLY PIVOTED TO A VIRTUAL EXISTENCE WITH THE ADOPTION OF NEW PLATFORMS AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES (AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITIES) TO DIVERSIFY PROGRAMMING FOR GLOBAL FELLOWS AND PROGRAM STAFF DURING COVID. - WE DELIVERED A SUITE OF ON-LINE WEBINARS AND EVENTS FOR FELLOWS AND STAFF AS WELL AS FELLOWSHIP OF FELLOWSHIP PARTNERS (OBAMA FELLOWS, RODDENBERRY FELLOWS, SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS AND THE TRUST). - WE IMPLEMENTED NEW APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY BUILDING ACROSS THE AI COMMUNITY INCLUDING THE REDESIGN OF OUR ONLINE HUB, FELLOW AFFINITY GROUPS AND GRANTS. SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS - SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS SUCCESSFULLY MAINTAINED AND DEVELOPED ITS OPERATIONS THROUGH A COMPLETE SHIFT TO ONLINE DELIVERY, INCLUDING SELECTION OF THE 2021 COHORT OF FELLOWS AND SUBSEQUENT ONBOARDING, GLOBAL MEETING PROGRAMMING, AND ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT. - ANNOUNCEMENT BY SCHMIDT FUTURES AND THE RHODES TRUST OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE THE SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS PROGRAM, WITH A GOAL OF CONTINUING FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS AND POTENTIALLY MUCH LONGER. - DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE THE PROGRAM THROUGH TO 2025, INCLUDING A COMMITMENT TO EXPLORE AND DEVELOP NEW INITIATIVES TO REMOVE OBSTACLES TO INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY MORE BROADLY. - GROWTH IN THE SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOWS COMMUNITY TO 84 FELLOWS, ACROSS FOUR COHORTS OF ACTIVE AND SENIOR FELLOWS (ALUMNI), AND A SUCCESSFUL ON-BOARDING OF THE 2021 FELLOWS, INCLUDING TO PLACEMENTS AT NEW HOST INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE SWISS FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF AQUATIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE, AND IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON. THE MANDELA RHODES FOUNDATION (MRF) - UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CEO JUDY SIKUZA, MRF HAS COMPLETED A REBRANDING PROCESS AND LAUNCHED A STRATEGIC PLAN FOCUSED ON GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION, ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT, AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP - MRF IS CONDUCTING SELECTION VIRTUALLY IN 2021 AS IT DID IN 2020. SINCE 2003, 558 MRF SCHOLARS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FROM 30 AFRICAN COUNTRIES, WITH 25 COUNTRIES STILL TO GO TO REACH THE GOAL OF HAVING MRF SCHOLARS FROM EVERY COUNTRY ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY WITH A FOCUS ON 12 PRIORITY COUNTRIES. - MRF HAS LAUNCHED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMMES TO ENGAGE ITS ALUMNI. ONE OF THESE IS THE NIT PRIZE, CREATED THROUGH A GIFT FROM RHODES SCHOLAR DAVID COHEN (SOUTH AFRICA-AT-LARGE & BALLIOL 1983). IT IS AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PRIZE OPEN TO MRF AND RHODES ALUMNI FROM THE CLASSES OF 2005 TO THE PRESENT WHOSE EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON SOCIAL IMPACT ON THE CONTINENT. THE FIRST GROUP OF NIT PRIZE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY THE END OF 2021. - RHODES AND MRF TRUSTEES ARE DEVELOPING A NEW MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO GUIDE THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THE PARTNERSHIP. - PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR A TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION FOR MRF IN 2023, WHICH WILL ALSO MARK THE 120TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RHODES TRUST. RISE -THE FIRST PHASE OF THE RISE SELECTION PROCESS COMMENCED IN NOVEMBER 2020, WITH 10,000 COMPLETED AND ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS ADMITTED TO THE SECOND PHASE BY FEBRUARY 2021. APPLICANTS COMPLETED FOUR CHALLENGES, PEER REVIEW, A PUZZLE QUIZ, AND A WRITTEN PROJECT SUMMARY, WITH THE PROCESS CAREFULLY DESIGNED TO BE AGE AND CONTEXT SPECIFIC. ALGORITHMIC ANALYSIS OF OVER 3,000 STUDENTS SURFACED 2,000 CANDIDATES FOR FURTHER EVALUATION BY EXPERT EVALUATION, RESULTING IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF 500 RISE FINALISTS.