Bill and Melinda Gates meet Gates scholars

The Gates were in Cambridge to receive honorary degrees from the University of Cambridge. Their benefaction of $210million in 2000 set up the Gates Cambridge Trust, which funds postgraduate scholars from outside the UK to study at the University. The scholarships are uniquely aimed at students with strong social leadership skills as well as high academic ability.

Before receiving their degrees, Bill and Melinda Gates went to Wolfson College and met Gates scholars, who had the opportunity to ask them about issues ranging from the future of technology to vaccination development, water sanitation in developing countries and the role of leadership in innovation.

Gordon Johnson, Provost of the Gates Cambridge Trust and President of Wolfson College, introduced the Gates, saying: “Not since the early modern period has there been a benefaction of the scale and magnificence of that given by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In our 800th year the University has sought to recognise and acknowledge a truly relevant 21st century contribution to the work of the University which gives opportunities to future scholars and citizens of the world.”

Melinda Gates spoke of how the Foundation was set up with the aim of focusing on issues affecting the poorest of the poor in the world, which she said would not receive funding otherwise. “Our premise is that all lives have equal value,” she said, “and that everyone should have an equal chance of life.” The Foundation focuses on three main areas: global health, global development and US education. She said it would not last in perpetuity as the world’s priorities changed and the Gates wanted the freedom to be able to pump money into areas which had the potential to have a huge impact, such as a vaccination for Aids. The Foundation’s role was to act as a catalyst to promote innovative thinking around key areas which, if successful, could be taken up and funded by governments around the world.

Melinda Gates said the motivation behind setting up the Gates Cambridge Trust was her and her husband’s belief in the value of education. She told the Gates scholars: “The incredibly interesting things you are studying will make an enormous contribution to society and will help to change the world.” Bill Gates was positive about the future, despite the recession. “I have no doubt that the world will innovate and the top two billion will do way better than they think,” he said, adding that the priority was therefore to ensure that wealthy governments did not cut back their investment for poorer countries in the short term. He wanted to create a movement to get companies to invest a small portion of their resources on innovation for the poor. “Many of you,” he told the scholars, “can push this forward.”

Bill Gates was also asked about the future of technology and predicted a huge future for robotics. “Within 20 years, robotics will be everywhere, from manufacturing to household tasks to medical care for the elderly,” he said, but as with microprocessors it was still unclear what path they would take. Melinda Gates said leadership was key in promoting innovation and paid tribute to her husband’s vision and risk-taking.

Following the question and answer session, the Gates spoke to groups of Gates scholars about their studies and interests, and students expressed their thanks for the opportunities the scholarship programme had provided.