Terms and conditions 

Women in Leadership Scholarship Challenge 2026

1. This competition is organised and administered by Henley Business School Africa, whose registered offices are situated at: 
   - Henley Africa Campus 
   - Building A, 1 Witkoppen Road 
   - Paulshof, Johannesburg, 2191 
   - South Africa

2. Scholarship value and eligibility 
   -  This competition offers scholarship prizes of up to R800,000 and is not open to employees of Henley Business School Africa, their agents, or anyone else professionally associated with the competition.

3. Competition launch 
   - The competition will launch on 1 July 2026. All information detailing how to enter this competition forms part of these terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the entrant agrees to abide by them. Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions.

4. Entry requirements 
   - To enter this competition, entrants must be eligible for entry to the Henley Business School Africa Global Executive MBA Programme, and the scholarship will only be awarded once a place is confirmed.

5. The entry criteria are: 
   - A minimum of three years’ management experience 
   - A first degree or equivalent professional or international qualification at level 8 on the South African NQF  
   - Evidence of competence in English. 
   
   Where the qualification requirements are not met, admission may be possible via a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) route, provided that: 
   -  The applicant has a minimum of five years’ management experience at a senior or strategic level
   - The RPL application and portfolio is received early enough for assessment and governance processes to be completed (these take considerably longer than a regular admissions process)

6. Submission requirement 
   - Entrants must submit an 800-word opinion piece (plus or minus 10%) entitled: 

   “Why is it so difficult to name and challenge inequality inside organisations, even when formal commitments to equality exist?” 
   - Applications that are more than 10% over or under the word count may be disqualified from the competition. 
   - Entries must be submitted in English and clearly marked “Women in Leadership Scholarship Challenge 2026” 
   - Entries may only be submitted in MS Word format, along with the official application form, (i) The application document is to be completed, using the link below. (ii) The opinion piece then needs to be uploaded by following the online instructions. (iii) Once both these tasks have been completed, the scholarship application can be submitted.
   
   If you have not yet applied, please complete and submit the official  Application Form here.

7. Closing date 
   - All entries must be received by 5:00 pm on 29 July 2026.

8. Originality of entries 
   - All entries submitted must be the work of the individual submitting them and must not have been published elsewhere or have won a prize in any other competition. 
   - It is the responsibility of each entrant to ensure that their entry does not infringe the copyright of any third party or any applicable laws.

9. Copyright and publication rights 
   - Copyright in all entries submitted for this competition remains with the respective entrants. 
   - However, in consideration of their participation in and/or promotion of this competition, each entrant grants Henley Business School Africa and the Financial Mail (FM)  a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual licence (including its assigns and licensees) to feature any or all of the submitted essays in hard-copy or digital publications (including special reports), websites, social media channels or platforms, and/or promotional material connected to this competition without payment to the entrant. 
   - Henley Business School Africa and the FM reserve the right to edit copy. Individuals responsible for any essays so featured will be fully credited. 
   - Essays submitted may form the basis of research, publications, reports, articles or other thought leadership material produced by Henley Business School Africa.

10. Entry conditions 
    - Only one entry per person is permitted. 
    - Late, illegible, incomplete, defaced or corrupt entries will not be accepted. No responsibility can be accepted for lost entries and proof of transmission will not be accepted as proof of receipt. 
    - Entries must not be submitted through agencies or third parties.

11. Shortlisting and judging 
    - Up to ten entrants will be shortlisted from all entries received. 
    - Shortlisted entrants shall be those whose entry, solely in the opinion of the judges, displays the most original and exceptional thinking. 
    - The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

12. Scholarship awards
    - The winning entrant shall receive a full scholarship, and the runner-up will receive a 50% scholarship, both to take a place on the Henley Business School Africa Global MBA - Programme commencing in October 2026. The scholarships are not transferable to another intake.  
    Full details of the programme can be found at: https://www.henleysa.ac.za/women-in-leadership-scholarship-competition-2026?hs_preview=kUoTRRod-426746399988

13. Winner notification
    - The winner shall be notified in August 2026.

14. Alternative awarding of scholarship 
    - Should the winner be unable to commence the programme, Henley Business School Africa may offer the prize to the next entrant on the shortlist, selected in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. 
    - Should the winner withdraw from the programme after commencement, Henley Business School Africa reserves the right to offer the prize to the next eligible entrant or to withdraw the prize altogether. 
    - Such decisions shall be made at the sole discretion of Henley Business School Africa and may take into account the value of the scholarship already utilised.

15. Public relations and media participation 
    - It is expected that the winner will participate in social media, marketing and public relations activities relating to the scholarship and Henley Business School Africa.

16. Contribution to knowledge and leadership 
    - It is expected that the winner will make a demonstrable and significant contribution through their MBA studies to the advancement of actionable knowledge relating to diversity, inclusion and leadership, particularly gender equality.

17. Programme availability 
    - The prizes as described are available on the date of publication. 
    - All elements of the prize are non-transferable to any other intake or mode of study and are only available to students studying through Henley Business School Africa.

18. Exclusions 
    - Accommodation, travel, study trip travel, additional materials, visa costs and any other incidental expenses are not included unless expressly stated. 
    - Only one scholarship will be awarded per applicant, and the scholarship may not be combined with any other fee reduction, scholarship or bursary. 
    - There is no cash alternative to the scholarship.

19. Force majeure 
    - Events may occur that render the competition itself or the awarding of the prize impossible due to circumstances beyond the reasonable control of Henley Business School Africa. 
    - In such circumstances, Henley Business School Africa reserves the right, at its absolute discretion, to vary, amend, suspend or withdraw the promotion. 
    - Entrants agree that Henley Business School Africa shall not be liable for any consequences arising from such circumstances.

20. General conditions 
    - Henley Business School Africa reserves the right to verify the eligibility of entrants and to request supporting documentation where necessary. 
    - Any attempt to provide false or misleading information may result in disqualification.

21. Governing law 
    - This competition is governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa, and the courts of South Africa shall have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any dispute arising from or connected with the competition. 
    - This competition is void where prohibited.