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First NYU Abu Dhabi Student Awarded Prestigious Aker Scholarship

Press Release

NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Class of 2020 student Tiril Hoye Rahn has been awarded the prestigious Aker Scholarship. Established in 2015, Aker Scholarship program offers a grant to exceptional Norwegian students, who have a strong link to Norway, to apply for post-graduate studies in one of the world’s top universities. 

Rahn, the first student from NYUAD to ever receive the Aker Scholarship, will pursue a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in International Relations at the University of Oxford starting this fall, where she will research conflict prevention and security measures in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Rahn chose to attend NYUAD because of her interest in politics in the Middle East, as well as joining NYUAD’s diverse student body. She will graduate from NYUAD in May 2020 with a major in Political Science and a minor in Peace Studies and Public Policy and Management. 

Rahn’s interest in conflict prevention evolved while working part-time at the Nobel Peace Center for eight years. Completing high-school at UWC in Germany, Rahn was inspired by the diverse student body which encouraged her to work toward a career in diplomacy. While studying away at NYU in New York, she enrolled in an internship for the UK Mission to the United Nations and became involved in conflict preventative initiatives. 

“I am delighted to have received the Aker Scholarship, which will give me the opportunity to study a subject that I am passionate about at one of the world’s best universities. I look forward to starting my postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford working within the field of peacekeeping, with a particular focus on conflict prevention and the strengthening of security measures in the Middle East."

NYUAD Class of 2020 student Tiril Hoye Rahn

Rahn added, "As I work towards finishing my Master’s degree, I will continue to study Arabic. I am excited to continue broadening my knowledge of international relations and research measures to prevent violent conflicts."

The Scholarship is open to applicants from all academic disciplines. It aims to enroll students who are academically strong, but also are engaged in social issues and like to make a positive impact on society.

Awarded students have a chance to study at California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, or National University of Singapore (NUS).

Aker Scholarship grants are financed by Anne Grete Eidsvig and Kjell Inge Røkke´s Foundation for Education. 

About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 115 countries and speak over 115 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

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