Abii-Tah Bih, a PhD student in the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) at the University of Cambridge, has been awarded for her outstanding work in widening participation for aspiring African postgraduates. Ms. Bih received a prestigious Cambridge SU Award for Contributions to Access and Widening Participation at a ceremony recognising her impactful mentorship programme.
Alongside her co-chair, Belinda Agbetiameh, Ms. Bih was recognised for co-leading a programme that provided weekly one-on-one mentorship to 147 aspiring African postgraduate students. This initiative has yielded significant results, with over 30 mentees gaining admission to Master's and PhD programmes at world-leading institutions including Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, Edinburgh, and LSE. Remarkably, 10 of these students have secured full scholarships at Cambridge, with several others receiving full funding elsewhere.
The Cambridge SU Award for Contributions to Access and Widening Participation celebrates students who have made an exceptional commitment to improving access and widening participation at Cambridge. The award highlights those who dedicate their time to tackling barriers faced by underrepresented students in Higher Education and presenting a true image of Cambridge life. Ms. Bih and Ms. Agbetiameh were selected from a highly competitive field of 250 nominees for their vital work.
Abii-Tah Bih also recently received the Amit Bhasin Prize for Most Outstanding African Scholar at the University of Cambridge. This prize recognises African scholars who demonstrate academic excellence, translate their research into impactful benefits for African populations, engage in public engagement, innovation, and social enterprises, and contribute significantly to student life in Cambridge.
"I am very moved by the selection panellists who deemed me worthy of these prestigious awards, especially considering the remarkable quality and extensive impacts of my fellow nominees," said Abii-Tah Bih. "I also feel profoundly blessed with an ever-incredible supervisor, Professor Sharath Srinivasan, whose validation has been instrumental in every project that led to these accolades. Sharath was also the first to ever nominate me for the Amit Bhasin Prize and that faith in me, in itself, was the prize."
Ms. Bih also extended her gratitude to her collaborators: "Finally, it feels surreal to be surrounded by the terrific network of family, friends, and colleagues in Cameroon, Nigeria, the US, and the UK who made all the projects celebrated through these awards possible. I am especially thankful for Belinda Agbetiameh, who shares the Cambridge SU award with me, and Inioluwa Afolabi, who also nominated me for the Amit Bhasin Prize. Their support has been invaluable, and I am truly fortunate to have them by my side."
The Department of Politics and International Studies congratulates Abii-Tah Bih on these well-deserved accolades, recognising her unwavering dedication to fostering a more inclusive and accessible academic environment for future generations of African scholars.