Annual Review 2025

Canon Collins Trust has awarded over 3,600 postgraduate scholarships across southern Africa, investing R300m+ in education for social justice since 2000. Their 2025 annual review covers 132 scholars supported across law, science, education, arts and media — 55% women. Highlights include a new Generative Research Community backed by the Mastercard Foundation, deepened government partnerships and progress toward a Global Mandela Leadership Centre of Excellence.

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📋About

Postgraduate scholarships across southern Africa, scholar conference, generative research community, women in science programme, climate justice work, transformative law, arts and media scholars, Sylvester Stein Award

📊Key Metrics

132 scholars supported in 2025; 3,600+ scholarships awarded over 40+ years Key Metric 1
Over R300 million invested in education for social justice since 2000 Key Metric 2
73 female, 57 male, 2 non-binary scholars; 2 differently abled — 55% female cohort Key Metric 3

Key Outcomes

  • 150+ scholars and alumni gathered at Annual Scholar Conference; Mastercard Foundation-backed Generative Research Community established
  • New collaborations with SA Department of Higher Education and Science, Technology and Innovation; engagement with Presidential PhD Programme
  • Global Mandela Leadership Centre of Excellence in development; scholars researching climate justice, legal advocacy, community health and women in science

📍Geography

International

2023

30 Years of Impact

267,449 children benefitting from infrastructure across South Africa
Key Metric 1
1,374 facilities placed; 4,152 children enrolled at supported pre-schools
Key Metric 2
67% increase in pre-schools receiving feeding support from baseline to follow-up
Key Metric 3
More pre-schools eligible for government registration post-infrastructure; teachers' average monthly salary increased from R1,548 to R2,497
2024

Impact Report 2021/24

£2,166,675 WIN funding leveraged £38,056,811 in additional investment; bids totalling £116,774,382 submitted to external funders; 31 external funders secured
Key Metric 1
137 external partners included in successful small grant bids across 13 countries; £5m+ direct industry investment; £267,000 awarded to 39 projects through Small Grant Fund
Key Metric 2
89% of Welsh research rated internationally excellent or world-leading for impact (REF 2021); 85% improved processes and practices; 90% created UK-wide impact; 60%+ reached global audiences
Key Metric 3
Advanced Design Engineering group secured £2.028m in funding following WIN support; Cymru Wledig Rural Wales LPIP awarded £5m+ for rural policy innovation; One Health Wales Institute secured £5.12m including £5m commercial contract
2025

Entrepreneurship Annual Impact Report 2024-25

1,123 students empowered through in-curricular and extra-curricular enterprise activities in 2024-25; 44 curriculum-based sessions and 16 extra-curricular empower events delivered
Key Metric 1
Students across 5 schools: CSM (438), CSSHS (368), CSESP (122), CST (99), CSAD (96); 100% of Changemakers Challenge attendees more confident in abilities and social impact project planning
Key Metric 2
Shortlisted for Times Higher Education Entrepreneurial University of the Year; Business Advice Hour drop-in sessions; 17 Meet and Mingle events with 100+ attendees and 9+ speakers; peer network launched May 2025
Key Metric 3
Changemakers attendee completed 6-week internship in India with Project Chakra; 'Work experience' option at Cardiff School of Technology embedded enterprise into Level 5 core module; student feedback: 'inspirational — made me see entrepreneurship is achievable and not so risky'