Scholarships will continue to widen access to TV industry

Two flagship scholarships for Glasgow Caledonian's MA TV Fiction Writing - designed to widen access to the television industry - are set to be renewed for the next academic year.

The David MacLennan MA TV Fiction Writing Scholarship and the Ernst Maas MA TV Scholarship will continue to support students on the only postgraduate course in the UK dedicated to the writing of TV drama.

Over the years both scholarships have been awarded to students who are the first in their family to attend university or are from care-experienced backgrounds.

Named after the legendary late Scottish theatre actor, writer, producer and honorary graduate of Glasgow Caledonian, the David MacLennan scholarship funds tuition fees for the full-time programme.

Now 10 years since David passed away, his widow, acclaimed actress Juliet Cadzow, continues to support the course and regularly takes part in workshops with our students.

Meanwhile, the Ernst Maas Educational Trust MA TV Scholarship is open to students from a care experienced or refugee/asylum seeker background, or who are the first in their family to go to university.

The Trust was established in memory of Ernst by his daughter Eva who came to Scotland as a refugee from Germany in the 1930s. Working in social work and seeing the importance of education for disadvantaged groups within society, Eva set up the Trust to help make education accessible to all young people.

David Cosgrove, lecturer in Media and Journalism, said: “Funding of this nature is a key plank in our intention to continue to widen accessibility not only to this course but to the wider television industry generally.

"We wish to acknowledge not only this kindness and generosity of spirit but also the powerful impact that both of these scholarships have had in the past and will continue to have going forward.

"Thanks also go to the GCU Foundation for helping to facilitate this continued support."