Taman Siswa

A British university got embroiled in a controversy after it refused to offer nationality scholarships to Bahraini students during an interview in Manama.

The controversy erupted after student Zahra Mohammad Al Mezel was told by the recruiting staff of the University of Greenwich that she could not be offered the scholarship because she was a Bahraini and that Gulf nationals could not be given this benefit.

A complaint from Zahra prompted the British Council to cancel the interviews.

“The British Council is shocked that the University of Greenwich does not offer nationality scholarships to Bahrainis. This was not our understanding from the advertisement we displayed on behalf of the university,” British Council acting director Zoe Chadwick said.

“We have cancelled the university’s appointments at the British Council until we investigate the matter,” she said.

University officials said the reason for offering nationality scholarships to nationals from specific countries but not to Bahrainis and other Gulf nationals was “historical”.