London lunch: (From left, back) Nceba Mhlahlo, David Brown (Linbury Trust administrator) Lord John Sainsbury of Preston Candover and Eliya Madikane. (From left, front) Zoleka Skepu, Lady Sainsbury, Miemie Nzula and Mastoera Sadan.

A sandwich scheme, as the John Sainsbury Scholarships are described, sounds enticing enough. But we're not talking baguette or foccacia. These scholarships provide PhD students with the dual and academically profitable chance to work at UCT and at a top university in the United Kingdom.

Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover, one of the island's most renowned philanthropists, funds this visionary programme, now in its seventh year. Its aim is to help UCT and South Africa develop its future researchers and academics.

There are 21 John Sainsbury Scholars and to date three have graduated, with another 12 due to graduate by the end of 2004. The last group of JS Scholars will soon complete their UK tenure, five of whom recently lunched with Lord and Lady Sainsbury at their London home.

They are studying a range of subjects, from astronomy to microbiology and social welfare. As this schemes draws to a close, Lord Sainsbury is beginning another scholarship programme, one that will take another six students to the UK to further their PhD studies at institutions there.