Go Beyond with the Land Rover Bursary 2012
On Friday 18 November 2011, the ‘Go Beyond’ Bursary 2012 was officially launched at the annual Explore weekend of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). This unique bursary, run by the Society on behalf of Land Rover, is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The award, which offers funding and the use of a Land Rover Defender 110 vehicle, is aimed at those who want to take a journey beyond their limits and boundaries and to promote a wider understanding and enjoyment of people, places and environments.
Since the Bursary was introduced in 2008, four teams have collectively travelled more than 100,000 kms across five continents during their exploration of our planet. Here’s how the previous Bursary winners made the most of the opportunity:
2008: Latitude
The very first recipients of the Bursary followed the line of 50° North driving across Europe through Asia and Canada, all in a Land Rover Defender 110.
2009: Atlantic Rising
Atlantic Rising’s journey traced what could be the new coastline of the ocean following sea level rise exploring the places, people and histories that would be lost to the rising waters if climate change continues. The team recorded interviews, made films and developed educational resources for schools that can be found on their website.
2010: Fault Line Living
Fault Line Living embarked on an arduous 12-week, 15,000 mile journey from Iceland to Italy, Greece, Turkey and Iran, in order to explore the realities of life for people living along fault lines.
2011: Glacier in a Greenhouse
The most recent Bursary recipients returned in late August 2011. The team of Durham University students studied remote glaciers in Central West Iceland.
Land Rover is pleased to announce that for the first time since its launch, the amount of funding offered for the Bursary has been trebled. The winning team in 2012 will therefore be able to travel even further afield than before, matching Land Rover vehicles’ ‘Go Anywhere’ capabilities. A bursary of £15,000 is available and in addition applicants can apply for a discretionary fund of up to £15,000 to support essential expedition-related costs.
If you’d like to turn your idea for a challenging geographical journey into a reality, then be sure to get your application in here before 3 February 2012. Interviews will then be held in London in March 2012.
If you want tips on expedition planning as well as highlights and images of life in the field from the previous four teams, then download the ‘Going Beyond: Advice from the Field’ PDF here.
Best of luck to all entrants!
