1REPORT FROM 16TH CCEM • COUNTRY PROFILE – NEW ZEALAND • NEWS ROUND-UP • SCHOLARS’ NEWS •

ALUMNI IN ACTION • LAUNCH OF NEW GENDER NETWORK • CSC EVENTS

NEWSIssue 3

April 2007Promoting learning, development and co-operation

Looking ahead: Education Ministersapprove CSFP expansion

2 Commonwealth Scholarships News

Commonwealth Scholarships News(formerly Omnes)

Editorial Team:Dr John Kirkland, Sarah Humphreys, Anna O’Flynn and Natasha LokhunDesign:John KirbyPrint:dsi colourworks

Commonwealth Scholarships News is publishedthree times a year by the CommonwealthScholarship Commission in the United Kingdom.

Commonwealth Scholarship Commissionc/o The Association of Commonwealth UniversitiesWoburn House, 20–24 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9HF, UK

comments@cscuk.org.ukwww.csfp-online.org

© Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom

Commonwealth Scholarships News is published for information purposes only and no liability is accepted for its contents by

the CSC or by any contributor to it. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the information contained

therein was correct at the time of compilation, it should not be regarded as definitive and no responsibility is accepted for

the inclusion or omission of any particular item. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily

represent the views of the CSC.

Cover Commonwealth EducationMinisters at the 16thConference in Cape Town,South Africa© Anthea Davison

2 Editorial

3 News Round-upThe latest from the CommonwealthScholarship Commission.

4-5 Scholars’ NewsNews, views and events of our currentscholars.

6-7 Commonwealth EducationMinisters look to the futureA report from the 16th Conference ofCommonwealth Education Ministers.

8-9 Alumni in ActionAn update on the activities of ouralumni.

10 Professional Networks andCSC EventsReports from recent network seminarsand events.

11 Country Profile – New ZealandThe first in a new series of articles aboutthe international CommonwealthScholarship and Fellowship Plan.

As many of you will be aware, CommonwealthScholarships are approaching their fiftiethanniversary. The Commonwealth Scholarship

and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) was set up at the firstmeeting of all the Education Ministers of theCommonwealth in 1959. Since then, Ministers havemet every three years and scholarships have been aregular agenda item. We believe that this makes usprobably the only scholarship scheme in the worldwith such an influential review mechanism.

The most recent of these meetings was in SouthAfrica at the end of last year. The results are reportedon pages 6-7. Both comments and the survey ofactivity over the past three years presented at themeeting demonstrated that the enthusiasm andcommitment shown almost fifty years ago remainsvery much intact.

Before the main meeting we, the UK part of the Plan, held a meeting with our sisternominating agencies from nineteen other countries, ranging from small island states likeMauritius and the Falkland Islands to the ‘big players’ like Canada and Bangladesh. All of usagreed that a major resource was the 25,000 alumni of the Plan. We shared ideas on howto contact alumni, how to engage them, and how to promote them as a CommonwealthResource. We also agreed to work together to involve alumni even more in our activitiesand future planning. Your ideas on how we might achieve this – both in anniversary yearand more generally – would be welcome.

Alumni are important to us both as long-standing friends and as the ultimate evidence thatour investment has made an impact. In May, we will be holding a major seminar to discusshow the achievements of the CSFP – and other international scholarship schemes – can beevaluated. Outcomes of this will appear in the next issue, but those with strong ideas onthe topic, or who can present themselves as good examples of how scholarships have areal impact, are encouraged to get in touch with us – our contact details can be found onpage 12.

In the meantime, I hope that you find this, the third edition of our new-look magazine,interesting and won’t hesitate to let us have feedback and ideas for improvement.

Professor Trudy Harpham Chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK

Professor Trudy Harpham

EDITORIALTHIS ISSUE

April 2007 3

NEW AWARD ADMINISTRATORSWe are delighted to welcome Sarah Fedorcio andSelina Hannaford to the CommonwealthScholarship Commission’s Secretariat as AwardAdministrators. Sarah and Selina took up theirposts in February 2007.

NEW SELECTIONS FOR 2007A total of 339 scholarships are being awarded for2007 entry at UK universities. These can be brokendown into the following categories of award:

209 General Scholarships for students to pursueMaster’s and PhD degrees.

60 Commonwealth Fellowships. These support thecost of up to six months’ work in the UnitedKingdom for university staff in certain developingCommonwealth countries.

39 Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarships.Candidates for this award are drawn from HigherEducation institutions within certain developingcountries.

31 Split-site Doctorate Scholarships. Available tothose studying for a PhD in developingCommonwealth countries, these scholarshipssupport attendance for one year at a UK university,under the joint supervision of a home country and aUK supervisor.

EVALUATION SEMINAR AT CUMBERLANDLODGEFrom 4th-6th May 2007 at Cumberland Lodge inWindsor, the Commission will be holding anevent entitled ‘Evaluating the impact ofinternational scholarships’. The event, comprisingpresentations and discussion sessions, will featurea variety of speakers including Commissionersand representatives from the Institute ofDevelopment Studies, the World Bank Institute,the Netherlands Organization for InternationalCooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC), theNew Zealand Vice-Chancellor’s Committee andthe Department for Foreign Affairs andInternational Trade, Canada

CSC LAUNCHES NEW GENDER NETWORKThe Commission is pleased to announce the launchof the latest Professional Network – the Gendernetwork. The aim of this network is to facilitatediscussion amongst those connected with the CSCwho are affected by issues of gender, particularly ourfemale academic award holders, to enable them toshare ideas and experiences and enhance careerprogression. The Gender newsletter covers currentnews and reports, forthcoming international eventsand conferences, as well as publications andeducation. The network was launched at the ‘Genderand Career Development’ event at CumberlandLodge at the end of March 2007 (see page 10). To join the network, visit http://www.csfp-online.org/alumni

FORTHCOMING ALUMNI EVENT IN KENYAProfessor Tim Unwin, one of our CommonwealthScholarship Commissioners, will be visiting Kenyain May 2007. He is planning to hold an event forKenyan alumni and Distance Learning Scholarson 28th May at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi.As well as former scholars, we are hoping to hostrepresentatives from the British High Commission,the Department for International Development,the British Council and key Kenyan figures.Further details will be made available shortly toKenyan alumni and scholars.

OBSERVANCE FOR COMMONWEALTH DAY,12TH MARCH 2007On a bright spring afternoon, Westminster Abbeyhosted the thirtieth annual Commonwealth Dayobservance. In the presence of Her Majesty TheQueen, Head of the Commonwealth, and His RoyalHighness The Duke of Edinburgh, dignitaries from allcorners of the Commonwealth were treated to acolourful celebration of the values and principles laidout in the six affirmations central to theCommonwealth community.

This year’s theme of ‘Respecting difference,promoting understanding’ aimed to cross religiousboundaries by bringing together the Commonwealth

and fostering its distinctive character. Keynotespeakers included Anne Gallagher, a nurse who haswitnessed the Northern Ireland Troubles at first-hand, and Indian actress Shilpa Shetty. The SouthAfrican tenor Siphiwo Ntshebe filled the Abbey witha medley of traditional African songs and all enjoyeda collaborative performance of ‘A New Life’ byEmbaire International and the Asian Dance Group.Several Commonwealth Scholars and Secretariat staffattended the service.

MEETING TO DISCUSS SCHOLARSHIP IMPACTThe Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), inpartnership with the CSC, is holding an eveningdiscussion meeting considering the impact andthe future of scholarships. The meeting, onTuesday 3rd July at 6.30 pm, will have a panel of distinguished speakers from various fields,reflecting on the work of the Commission andother scholarship bodies. Attendance is free and open to all, and details of the event will be publicised on the RCS website:http://www.rcsint.org/events

CANADA EXTENDS SUPPORTCanada has confirmed continuing support for theCommonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan(CSFP) until at least 2011. The announcement, inJanuary, came following a period of review ofseveral scholarship programmes by the TreasuryBoard. One of the most immediate implications ofthe new support was the introduction, on anexperimental basis, of a new strand of postdoctoralFellowships for UK citizens to work at Canadianuniversities. In another new initiative, Canada hasannounced support for a new history of the CSFP, tobe published in conjunction with the fiftiethanniversary in 2009.

COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARS XI V RHODESSCHOLARS XI CRICKET MATCHThe 5th Annual Commonwealth XI v Rhodes XIcricket match will be held in late June/early Julyat the Oxford University Graduate Club cricketground, and we are currently looking for playersfor this year's squad. We want as manyenthusiastic people as possible, so please get intouch even if you have limited experience or area bit rusty! If you are interested, please email thecaptain, Tanzil Rahman, attanzil.rahman@hertford.ox.ac.uk. Players andspectators are welcome to bring partners, familiesand friends, to enjoy a spot of quintessentiallyEnglish summer fun.

We are also keen to start up a women’s cricketteam. If you would be interested in playing,please contact Sarah Humphreys atsarah.humphreys@cscuk.org.uk for further details.

NEWS ROUND-UP

Sarah Fedorcio

Selina Hannaford

(l-r) Gladys Young (Commonwealth Scholar),

Professor Trudy Harpham (Chair of the CSC),

Ransford Smith (Commonwealth Deputy

Secretary-General), and Shaun DeSouza(Commonwealth Scholar)

WELCOME DAY 2006Over 250 new scholars and fellows attended theCommonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC)Welcome Programme at Westminster Central Hallon 13th November 2006. Laurence Haddad,Director of the Institute of Development Studies,University of Sussex, opened the morning sessionwith a speech on the theme of capacity building.Afternoon sessions were on a variety of themes,including brain drain, corruption, and science andtechnology.

The evening reception, held at the Foreign andCommonwealth Office, was attended byrepresentatives from a wide range ofCommonwealth organisations, High Commissions,governments and universities. Lord Triesman ofTottenham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Statefor Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and Dr KimHowells, Minister of State at the Foreign andCommonwealth Office, both addressed thegathering.

Dr Sujit Dutta, a Commonwealth Fellow at theUniversity of Nottingham, felt that the WelcomeDay ‘was a pleasant experience…which offered usopportunities to meet personally those importantCSC and British Council people. It gave us a readyscope to come in contact with the scholars andfellows from different member countries of theCommonwealth. To me, it appeared to be aCommonwealth family get-together’.

SEASONAL SOCIAL EVENTAround 30 London-based Commonwealth Scholarsand Fellows joined members of theCommonwealth Scholarship Commission’sSecretariat at Woburn House on 13th December2006 for an informal seasonal social gathering. Theevent was a chance for CSC Awards Administratorsand award holders to celebrate the end of term –and the festive season – together. Scholars andfellows even had the opportunity to experienceBritish Christmas traditions such as mince pies,mulled wine and the pulling of Christmas crackers!

ANCIENT SPACES ONLINEIn addition to his doctoral studies, Michael Griffin(Commonwealth Scholar, DPhil in Classics,University of Oxford) has created a website whichaims to bring his field of study to the attention ofthe public. www.ancientspaces.com ‘aims tocreate an interactive, accessible 3D simulation ofancient society and culture on the Internet,ratified by academia and open to the public.’Although Ancient Spaces is still in its early stages,the contributors aim to develop a softwarepackage which will allow interactive engagementwith the Greek and Roman worlds andsimultaneous interaction with other players, foreducational applications. He feels that globalmedia such as the internet and interactiveentertainment ‘offer an instrument for tacklingglobal challenges’ and are ‘an avenue forreaching today’s young people’. Michael hopes tocombine his love of Classics with the use ofdigital media upon his return to Canada and feels

that other academics should consider this option,and ‘embrace this medium’s opportunities forstudent-driven education’.

ACADEMIC FELLOW TAKES UP ADVISORYPOSITIONProfessor Mangala De Zoysa (CommonwealthFellow, University of Bangor) has been appointedas an Advisor to the Water Retention by Land Use(WaReLa) project, following an invitation to attenda workshop on ‘Results and exchange ofexperiences of the WaReLa Project’, held at theUniversity of Trier, Germany, in November 2006.The WaReLa Project is a European Communityinitiative, which supports transnational cooperationamong the member states of Germany,Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, and theUK. Professor De Zoysa, a Senior Lecturer at theUniversity of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, comments that ‘theWaReLa project is presently of the view that theimplementation of the sustainable management ofland, forest and water resources by the EuropeanCommunity should include initiatives within the EUas well as EU-sponsored activities in Third Worldcountries through a mutually supportive approachfor the sake of meeting new environmental needsand problems across the globe’.

COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARS RECEIVERECOGNITIONM Asim Rehman Shaikh (Commonwealth Scholar,PhD in Power Electronics, Imperial College London)won the Best Research Poster award at the launchof the Energy Futures Lab at Imperial College.Many departments participated in this competitionand the posters highlighted the institution’s

4 Commonwealth Scholarships News

Ly Loong, 2006 Commonwealth Scholar from

Malaysia, enjoys a mince pie with Commonwealth

Awards Administrator, Sabina Ebbols

Michael Griffin, 2006 Commonwealth Scholar

from Canada

Commonwealth Scholars in one of the afternoon

breakout sessions

SCHOLARS’ NEWS

You can send your feedback, news and viewsfor inclusion in Commonwealth ScholarshipsNews by email: comments@cscuk.org.uk

ASSESSING THE STATE OF THE WORLDZinta Zommers, (Commonwealth Scholar,DPhil in Virology of Wildlife, University ofOxford) has been working on the UnitedNations Global Environment Outlook (GEO-4)Report. Here shedescribes thechallenges andrewards of thisinvaluableexperience.

2007 is animportant year forthe environment.It is a year forreflection. It marksthe 20thanniversary of therelease of Our Common Future, also known asthe Brundtland Report, by the WorldCommission on Environment and Development.This report is well known for popularising theterm ‘sustainable development’. The reportchallenges policymakers to acknowledge theneeds of future generations, and to considerenvironmental, economic, and social factorswhen solving global problems.

Aptly, this year will see the release of a bevy ofenvironmental reports. In September, the UnitedNations Environment Programme will release amajor assessment of the world’s environment:the Global Environment Outlook. This reportreviews the state of the world’s atmosphere,water, land and biodiversity. It will also be oneof the first assessments to make predictions onthe state of the environment and humandevelopment in the next hundred years. It isclear that while commitments to sustainabledevelopment have been made, to date realprogress has been minimal. From climate tobiodiversity, the situation is bleak. Human beingsstand at a crossroads. Barely into the twenty-firstcentury, our activities are on a collision coursewith the environment’s ability to sustain us.

During the past two years, I have had thepleasure of working on the Global EnvironmentOutlook. By chance, a former CommonwealthScholar from India is one of my supervisors.Hundreds of scientists have participated in thewriting of the report. As one of the youngestauthors, my professionalism, research abilitiesand writing skills have all been tested. I havelearned a great deal about the United Nations,and about the challenges of consensus. Beforepublication, the report must pass a series ofexpert reviews and must meet governmentapprovals. While this process strengthens thereport, authors tread a delicate tightrope.

A government can object to statements thatdepict its country negatively. Our chapterincluded discussion of an illegal wildlife trade.The government in question responded thatreferences to the trade should be removed. It

stated that the trade was‘banned’ and thereforedid not occur.

Despite these challenges,I am still a firm believerin the United Nations, inthe necessity of globalenvironmental reportsand in the ability of theUN to bring aboutchange. The UnitedNations is also awonderful mechanism to

generate dialogue between people from aroundthe world. I remember hearing a women fromKuwait describe water shortages before anaudience in Nairobi, Kenya. She was followed bya delegate from Uruguay who described loggingpractices in South America. In an era whendebate about global challenges is oftenpolarised, or non-existent, such discussions areinvaluable.

My generation grew up with countless satelliteimages of our planet. Embedded in our psycheis a picture of a single bright blue sphere, life inthe dead expanse of space. During the pasttwenty years, we have been encouraged to lookat Earth. Now we must learn to share the fruitsof life among all the members of our collectivecommunity, and with future generations. Onething is clear: solutions to global environmentalproblems are difficult to find. I hope that otherCommonwealth Scholars will contribute to thedebate and shape a sustainable future. 2008 isthe International Year of Planet Earth. Let’s makeit a year of change!

April 2007 5

Zinta Zommers, 2005 Commonwealth Scholar

from Canada, at a GEO-4 meeting

research in a range of energy-related topics. Thetitle of Asim’s poster was ‘Interface Technologies forDistributed Generation’, which presented the futureof electrical power networks; the emerging role ofpower electronics in interfacing the renewableenergy technologies with main grids was

underlined. Asim’sresearch is in theapplication of smartpower electronicdevices to improve thequality and reliabilityin electric powernetworks; thistechnology will helpfulfil the growing needfor electric energyespecially in thedeveloping world.

CommonwealthScholar HukumChandra (PhD inSocial Statistics,University ofSouthampton) wasawarded theprestigious Student

Paper Competition Award at the 2006 JointStatistical Meetings in Seattle, USA in August 2006.The Joint Statistical Meetings are sponsored by theleading statistical societies of the United States andCanada and are considered the pre-eminent NorthAmerican statistical meetings of the year. Hukumwas awarded the prize for his research work on‘Small Area Estimation for Business Surveys’. Hisresearch is focused on the development of smallarea estimation techniques in survey sampling.

IN YOUR OWN WORDS

The ‘environment’ is where welive; and development is what

we all do in attempting toimprove our lot within that

abode. The two are inseparable.

Gro Harlem Brundtland,Our Common Future, 1987

Asim Rehman Shaikh,2004 Commonwealth

Scholar from Pakistan

Hukum Chandra, 2004

Commonwealth Scholar from India

6 Commonwealth Scholarships News

Commonwealth Scholarships are gearing up to celebrate their fiftieth birthday in style – and Education Ministers are determined to play their part. These were the clear messages from the 16th Conference ofCommonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM), held in Cape Townfrom December 11th-14th 2006.

For those who are not aware of its history, the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) was formally established at the first EducationMinisters’ Conference, held in Oxford in 1959, although the idea had beenmooted at the Commonwealth Trade Ministers’ Conference, held the previousyear in Montreal, reflecting a strong Canadian influence. The CommonwealthScholarship Commission (CSC), which manages the United Kingdom’scontribution to the international Plan, was also established in 1959. The firstcohort of Commonwealth Scholars took up their awards the following year.

Progress since that time has been spectacular. Almost 25,000 individuals todate have held Commonwealth Scholarships or Fellowships. Around 15,000 of these have held their awards in the United Kingdom, which undertook to be the largest contributor at the 1959 meeting, and has maintained itscommitment ever since. In total, however, Commonwealth Awards have been held in over twenty countries, with funding from the hosts in each case.

As the fiftieth anniversary approaches, the level of these commitments showsno sign of declining. A report on CSFP activity over the past three years,presented to Ministers, showed that the number of new awards had averaged677 during the period, representing a 47% increase on the average figure of460 for the four years reported at the previous conference, in Edinburgh in2003. The number of students on award showed a similar rise. The 1,560reported for the past year was also 47% higher than that reported atEdinburgh, and represented the eighth highest in the Plan’s history.Once again the United Kingdom was the largest single contributor, havingdiversified its provision through substantial increases in distance learning, andthe introduction of professional fellowships. Contributions to the expansion ofthe Plan came from throughout the Commonwealth, however. New Zealandand India registered particularly significant increases. Ghana, Malta, Botswanaand Mauritius were amongst those showing as host countries for the first timein many years, whilst the total number of hosts during the period reachedfourteen – exactly in line with the ambitious target set in Edinburgh.

The positive indications were not confined to figures, with several countriesactively confirming the value of the scholarships in the survey. Severalcommented on the capacity of former award holders to take up influentialroles on their return home. Malawi, for example, spoke of alumni taking up keypositions in the sectors where they work, and Ghana observed that formeraward holders have ‘contributed immensely to the socio-economic needs ofthe country’, noting that most were employed in the civil and public service.Others remarked that the awards were amongst the most prestigious availableto their citizens.

Agency and CSC representatives at the meeting in Stellenbosch,

December 2006

COMMONWEALTH EDUCATIONMINISTERS LOOK TO THE FUTURE

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary in two years’ time – but how should the occasion be marked? John Kirkland reports on some positive proposals from Commonwealth Education Ministers.

April 2007 7

Against this background, the challenge facing Ministers was how to build onthese achievements – to ensure not only that more individuals benefit from thePlan, but that it has maximum impact for their countries, and the widerCommonwealth. After a positive debate, a number of proposals were agreedto achieve this.

First, member governments agreed to strive to increase further the number ofawards available, setting a target of 2009 students being on award by the 2009anniversary year. Implementation of this proposal, as with all CSFP awards, willrest with individual host countries, but many made positive indications ofintent, with South Africa announcing that it will start hosting awards. Since theconference too, there has been good news as Canada, whose government hadbeen considering its future participation in the Plan as part of a general reviewof scholarship programs, has confirmed its budget for the next five years.

The conference also recognised that the governance of the CSFP could beimproved. Since its establishment, the Plan has operated on a bilateral basis,with relationships existing primarily between individual home and hostcountries, and with relatively little central coordination. In some ways, this hasbeen an outstanding success. It has enabled scholarships to develop with aminimum of administrative cost, and ensured that relationships have remainedclose to local needs. On the other hand, the lack of a central administration hasperhaps led the scheme to lack coordination, and meant that no-one has beenon hand to encourage new hosts to join the scheme, and promote theCommonwealth Scholarships ‘brand’ on a global scale. The international CSFPwebsite, which was established by the United Kingdom with cooperation fromother agencies four years ago but often lacks updates from some countries,and the future development of tracer studies were cited as other examples ofactivities that could be progressed through a central facility.

Ministers decided to recognise this need by requesting the CommonwealthSecretariat to facilitate the establishment of a small facility to give support tonational agencies, and to assist them with the general promotion of the Plan.

It was stressed that these activities would not replace such agencies, but shouldprovide additional support. An offer from the Association of CommonwealthUniversities to contribute to the staffing of such a facility was also welcomed.

Perhaps the most significant proposal in the long term was that the fiftiethanniversary be marked by the creation of a new endowment, to support theestablishment of Commonwealth Scholarships hosted by developing countries.This would be very much a ‘first’ for the CSFP – the first time it has sought toraise funds directly, and the first time that any resources have been heldcentrally.

Raising such a fund would be a challenge, and it was recognised that thisshould be a ‘one-off’ activity to mark the anniversary, rather than an ongoingone. The advantages, however, could be significant. Scholarships in developingcountries are relatively cheap, and play an important role in developing thedistinctive international character of the Plan. They will also be increasinglypopular as those countries develop their range of courses, particularly onsubjects that reflect local specialisations. The ability of the Plan to ‘co-fund’awards with national hosts would be a significant encouragement.

Other proposals to be approved include a major conference to mark theanniversary, stronger collaboration over alumni activity and the development ofCommonwealth-wide professional networks for the CSFP ‘community’, perhapsbuilding on the networks already established by the United Kingdom.These latter proposals remind us that, although stronger central support willhelp the Plan make maximum impact, much can also be achieved throughgreater cooperation between the national agencies themselves. This potentialwas further seen when, in the days before the Ministers’ conference,representatives from fifteen such countries met in nearby Stellenbosch tocompare their own experiences. As well as endorsing proposals for Ministers,those attending the meeting agreed that more could be done to clarifyadministrative procedures, produce common materials and even exchange staff.

The overall impression of the CSFP to emerge from the meetings was that of aconfident, prestigious and established scheme, well known and regarded by thoseat the highest levels of government. The question now is how far these strengthscan be built on to make our anniversary year one to remember. By their decisionsin Cape Town, Ministers have shown their willingness to lead the way.

Commonwealth Education Ministers in Cape Town

South African schoolchildren sing the national

anthem at the opening of the Conference

© Anthea Davison

8 Commonwealth Scholarships News

ALUMNI IN ACTIONAlumni NewsALUMNUS HOSTS INTERNATIONAL LIBRARYAND INFORMATION SCIENCE CONFERENCEDr Jagtar Singh (Commonwealth Fellow,Loughborough University, 1992-1993) organisedthe 23rd International Conference of the IndianAssociation of Teachers of Library and InformationScience (IATLIS) from 23rd-25th November 2006.Seventy-five delegates from India, Pakistan, the UKand the USA participated in the conference, and aseminar on the theme ‘Building curriculum with adifference: a Vision of LIS Education in the 21stCentury’ was also held. Dr Singh is a Professor inLibrary and Information Science at PunjabiUniversity, Patiala, India, and has been elected as aStanding Committee Member of the InternationalFederation of Library Associations and Institutions(IFLA) for the period 2006-2008.

FORMER FELLOW ORGANISES MEDICALHISTORY CONFERENCE

Dr Achintya Kumar Dutta(Commonwealth Fellow,SOAS, 2002-2003) iscurrently a Reader in theDepartment of History atthe University of Burdwan,West Bengal, India andwas involved in organisingan internationalconference for hisdepartment. Theconference, on ‘Epidemics

in South Asian History: A Review of Medical, Politicaland Social Responses ’took place from 7th-9thNovember 2006, in collaboration with the WellcomeTrust and the Wellcome Trust Centre for the Historyof Medicine at University College London, and waswell-received by students and faculty members.

ALUMNUS ARRANGES RETREAT FORCOLLEAGUESDr Bavita Asthir (Commonwealth Fellow, ScottishAgricultural College, 1999-2000), currently workingas a Biochemist at the Department of Biochemistryand Chemistry, Punjab Agricultural University,Ludhiana, India, is actively engaged in meditationprogrammes conducted by the Vishvas Foundation.In March 2006, Dr Asthir organised a meditationretreat, including a free camp and lectures, at heruniversity for faculty, staff and others.

Through the Foundation, she has also beeninvolved in providing free education to childrenaged 5 to 15 and supporting orphanages, girls’colleges, and a host of senior secondary schools.

In BriefAWARDS AND CAREER ANNOUNCEMENTSMr H S Coperahewa (Commonwealth AcademicStaff Scholarship, MA in Language Studies,Lancaster University, 2003-2004) was promoted tothe grade of Senior Lecturer at the Department ofSinhala, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2005.At the same time, he applied to the University ofCambridge for his doctoral studies and was offereda Cambridge Commonwealth Trust scholarship andan Overseas Research Students award. MrCoperahewa is currently studying at Cambridge forhis PhD in South Asian Studies.

Dr Elizabeth Egbochuku (Commonwealth Fellow,Birkbeck College, University of London, 2002-2003)has been elected as a congregation representativeto the University of Benin Senate, for an initialperiod of two academic sessions from October2006. She was also appointed, by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, as Assistant Dean,School of Postgraduate Studies from July 2006.

Dr Kodira A Kushalapa (Commonwealth Scholar,MSc in Forestry, University of Edinburgh, 1970-72) hasretired from his post as Regional Chief Conservator ofForests, Government of India, and is now Chairman ofthe Kodagu Model Forest Trust, established for thesustainable management of forests.

Dr Peter D Maynard (Commonwealth Scholar,LLM, University of Cambridge, 1976-1979) has beenappointed Acting Judge of the Supreme Court ofThe Bahamas.

Professor Andrew T S Wee (CommonwealthFellow, University of Oxford, 1996-1997) wasappointed Head of Department of Physics, NationalUniversity of Singapore, from July 2006 for 3 years.

Dr N T Yaduraju (Commonwealth Scholar, PhD inAgricultural Science, University of Reading, 1981-1984)is currently working as a National Coordinator for theWorld Bank-funded National Agriculture InnovationProject (NAIP). Previously, Dr Yaduraju worked asDirector, National Research Centre for Weed Science(NRCWS) at Jabalpur, India, from 2000-2005.

Alumni EventsALUMNI AND DISTANCE LEARNING EVENTAT THE ZAMBIAN HIGH COMMISSIONOn 28th March 2007, Professor Ann Floyd(Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner) andAlistair Harrison (British High Commissioner toZambia) co-hosted a reception for Zambian alumniand Distance Learning Scholars studying HealthPromotion and Environmental Health at ChainamaCollege of Health Sciences, Zambia and LeedsMetropolitan University, UK. Representatives fromthe Department for International Development, theBritish Council and Zambian universities alsoattended.

Some alumni had travelled quite a distance toattend, keen to chat about their work. Onealumnus, Professor Richard Siaciwena, has made asignificant impact as Director of the Directorate ofDistance Education at the University of Zambia.

The High Commissioner spoke about theimportance of the Commonwealth and his personalexperience of taking a distance learning course.Professor Floyd talked about the recentdiversification of the Commission’s schemes andhow distance learning makes an immediatedifference, as people study while in employment.Professor Floyd noted the impact this had upon theChainama Scholars, who were buzzing with ideas!

Achintya Kumar Dutta

Ann Floyd and Alistair Harrison (second from

right) with guests at the event

Sarah Humphreys, Alumni Development OfficerCommonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdomc/o The Association of Commonwealth UniversitiesWoburn House, 20-24 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9FH, UK

We appreciate all your feedback and contributions, although it maynot always be possible for us to include all your news, due to theamount of space available on these pages.

KEEP IN TOUCH!Please keep us informed ofyour news, such as significantresearch, new seniorappointment, major publicationor national honour or award.We also welcome feedback onany aspect of this publication.You can get in touch by email:comments@cscuk.org.ukor you can write to:

THE LONG ROAD TO A PHD: CHOICES,CHANGES OR CHANCESGeoffrey Mbugua Wango (CommonwealthScholar, PhD in Counselling and Policy,University of Birmingham, 2003-2006) describeshow his experience of life and study in the UKset him on an unexpected careerpath in his home country of Kenya.

I arrived in the UK during the Iraqwar, at a time when the media waspreoccupied with issues between theBritish Government and the BBC.What could this battle tell me aboutthe dangers of political influence and theindependence of journalism? I watchedparliamentary sessions and was fascinated byTony Blair’s convictions, rather than whether hewas right or wrong on several issues. I was bothsurprised and fascinated by the demonstrationsheld during the visit of American PresidentGeorge Bush, to London.

I saw that democracy is not one-sided; you canagree to disagree and air your viewsindependently. This was an inspiration, comingfrom a developing country like Kenya wherepolitical and free speech was only just gainingprominence.

As all this was going on, I was busy working onfirst year PhD assignments. But my focus in lifehad slowly changed and for the first time, Istarted seriously thinking about joining politics asa way of influencing policy. By the time I went toKenya for fieldwork, the die was cast. I knewwhat I wanted to do in the near future – to goout and change the life of the people in my

home country. To me, politics does not have tobe about ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’; it can be aboutimproving the lives of the people.As I completed my PhD, I was overwhelmed bythe changes that I experienced in thought,learning and understanding. I learnt a lot about

counselling, education andadministration, policy, research and theuse of information technology inschools. I interacted with many studentsof different nationalities, learnt a lotabout the diplomatic nature of theEnglish language, and most of all I hada chance to reflect on my future career.

Someone reading this will ask, what is the roadto acquiring a PhD? PhD study is not just aboutthe immense information available in this age(though this should be a greater part of it); it isabout how knowledge can effectively transformus as people, or enable us to improve the livesof others. It was a long road to freedom of themind and it was worth the journey!

April 2007 9

OPENING UP NEW PATHSLucy Mburu Waruguru was a CommonwealthDistance Learning Scholar at the University ofSunderland, UK (2004-2007). Here, shediscusses the inspiration for and the impact ofher studies.

I was born and raised in Busia, a small town onthe border of Kenya with Uganda. During my timeat secondary school, computers were introducedand interested students had to pay additional feesto study the basics. I became fascinated by

computers but since my parents could not affordthe fees I was forced to forego this particular‘luxury’. Instead I directed my interest in music andlater studied for my Bachelor’s degree in Music atMaseno University.

Upon graduation I began teaching music at asecondary school, where I also studied computerpackages and began teaching lessons incomputing. Despite attaining first class honours inmy degree, I was unable to pursue a Master’sdegree in Music immediately, since I had to workfull-time. I then learned of the CommonwealthScholarships offered to students. I applied at onceand was lucky enough to receive a scholarship tostudy for an MSc in Computer Based InformationSystems through distance learning. I was glad to

learn that the lessons were offered on Saturdays atthe Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture andTechnology (JKUAT) since I would be able tocontinue with my work during the week, thentravel on Fridays to attend my classes. During my studies I have observed that thesescholarships have helped many bright and needystudents to pursue further education and henceimprove their careers and lives, and those ofothers. I myself would not have imagined, threeyears before, that my next graduation would be ina MSc in Computer Based Information Systems! Ifound the study challenges intriguing. The coursehas provided me with a lot of valuable computingknowledge and skills, and my approach toplanning and teaching has also improvedconsiderably. I now find myself effectively teachingconcepts that I previously did not think mystudents would understand.

I have never once regretted taking the course, as Ialways knew how valuable it would be to myfuture. I am now aspiring to join the University as aTutorial Fellow and possibly proceed to PhD study,so that I can become a lecturer. I am positive thatthe degree will advance my teaching career and Iam now better placed to aid my students and mycountry as a whole.Lucy Mburu Waruguru

IN YOUR OWN WORDSTwo Kenyan alumni discuss how their Commonwealth Scholarships became life-changing experiences –

one through spending time in the UK, and the other through distance learning.

I was overwhelmed by the changes that I experienced in thought, learning

and understanding.Geoffrey Mbugua Wango

I am now better placed to aidmy students and my country

as a whole.Lucy Mburu Waruguru

Participants at the Gender and Career Development seminar

10 Commonwealth Scholarships News

GENDER AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT EVENTSarah Humphreys describes the launch of the Gender network.

Over fifty Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows, both current and former,attended the ‘Gender and Career Development’ seminar at CumberlandLodge, Windsor from 23rd-25th March 2007. This event marked the launch of the newest CSC network – the Gender network.

Friday evening began with a presentation by Dorothy Garland of theAssociation of Commonwealth Universities, on the findings of the report Still ASingle Sex Profession, which considered gender and career development issueswithin Commonwealth universities. Celia Brackenbridge gave an insight intoThrough the Glass Ceiling, an organisation which supports women working inhigher education. This session provoked enthusiastic questions and debate,and set the tone for a lively weekend.

The programme on Saturday comprised of sessions led by different speakers.Peter Reader, Director of Marketing and Communications at the University of

Bath, guided students through the process of communicating their research tothe media. Steff Hazlehurst, Deputy Chair of the Association of ResearchManagers and Administrators (ARMA), gave practical advice on compilingsuccessful funding applications.

Current Scholars Sohela Nazneen, Henrietta Abane and Betty Dlamini, alongwith Fellow Dr Kiran Prasad, spoke about gender issues in both their academicand personal experience. Faisal Notta, Deborah Madsen, Indu Grover, AudreyBenn and Samantha Naidu spoke from an alumni perspective, giving insightsinto gender issues they have encountered in the workplace and their strategiesfor dealing with them.

On Saturday evening, Angela Glasner, former Pro Vice-Chancellor at theUniversity of Portsmouth and ex-Chair of Through the Glass Ceiling, joined apanel of Scholars and alumni to answer the question: ‘What would I do if Iwere Minister for Equal Opportunities?’ After an excellent session, which wasentertaining but dealt with serious issues, a mock election was held and AngelaGlasner won the day with her manifesto to champion equal rights.

The weekend finished with Scholars attending aservice at the Royal Chapel in Windsor, where HRHQueen Elizabeth II was also present. The event wasa great success and could easily have continuedlong past Sunday, due to the enthusiasm of allparticipants. We are sure this enthusiasm willcontinue across the new Gender network.

GOVERNANCE ALUMNI NETWORK CONFERENCEJustin Foxworthy reports on the third annual conference, held at theInstitute of Commonwealth Studies (ICwS) in London.

In association with the ICwS and the Commonwealth Secretariat, theCommonwealth Scholarship Commission hosted the third annual conferencefor the Alumni Network on Governance. Central to this year’s conference,entitled ‘Governance in the Commonwealth: Respecting Difference, PromotingUnderstanding’, was the contrast between the unprecedented exchange ofcommerce, culture and ideas binding us together and the increasing levels ofinequality and poverty within and between nations that can give rise totensions and conflicts.

Coinciding with Commonwealth Day, the conference brought together currentCommonwealth Scholars and established professionals from theCommonwealth Secretariat, academia and civil society in order to celebrate thecultural, social and political uniqueness of the Commonwealth. The themesand issues discussed included human rights, tolerance and understanding,economic development, migration and identity, conflict resolution and post-conflict recovery, and good governance across the Commonwealth.

The conference opened with a panel discussion on advancing human rights inthe Commonwealth. Following the panel, an evening reception marked theCommonwealth Secretariat’s release of the Model Human Rights Curriculumfor Commonwealth Universities and Law Schools. At the reception, RababFatima and Jolyon Ford, from the Secretariat’s Human Rights Unit, thanked theCommonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) for its efforts in helping to

create the document andcommented on theimportance ofmainstreaming humanrights in educationthroughout theCommonwealth.

The event’s second daycovered a wide range ofissues from a variety ofperspectives. However, aloose consensus began to emerge around the importance of the need to buildconnections between people. Complex issues of identity, cultural difference,economic growth and equality are best dealt with through mutualunderstanding and respect among communities. That evening a secondreception and dinner commemorated the third anniversary of the GovernanceAlumni Network.

The final day of the event included panels on peace and security and the needfor balance between individual rights with collective action. Delegates discussedthe need to strengthen structures, processes and mechanisms to enable theconstructive management of differences and promote effective political andsocial engagement. This brought to the fore the real strengths of theCommonwealth: its ethos of equality and governance by deliberation andconsensus, which are central to promoting understanding among people andadvancing human rights.

A session at the Governance conference

PROFESSIONAL NETWORKSAND EVENTS

April 2007 11

In the first of a series of articles on how the Commonwealth Scholarshipand Fellowship Plan (CSFP) operates throughout the Commonwealth,Kiri Manuera, of the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, reviewsrecent developments in New Zealand.

New Zealand has supported Commonwealth Scholarships since theirinception in 1959. At present, scholarships to Commonwealth developingcountries are funded through the New Zealand Agency for InternationalDevelopment (NZAID). Funding for scholarships to developedCommonwealth countries comes from New Zealand’s universitiesthemselves. Administration for both schemes is provided by the NewZealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (NZVCC), which also maintainsregular contact with the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK and other national agencies.

Eligible developing countries are determined annually by NZAID, inaccordance with current developmental objectives. These vary according togeographical region, but focus on areas such as leadership and governance,economics, environment, education, health, agriculture, human rights andgender, trade and development, and tourism. NZAID provides annualfunding of NZ$1.5 million to the scheme, in addition to the contributionfrom universities to scholarships for Canada and the United Kingdom.

The total number of Commonwealth Scholars that have studied in NewZealand now numbers over 650, including 61 students currently holdingawards. The most recent Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministersheard that New Zealand was one of the countries to have increasedsupport in recent years. This reflects a doubling of the funding to thescheme, which was approved by ministers in 2004.

New Zealanders have also benefited from Commonwealth Scholarshipsabroad, and particularly in the United Kingdom. Amongst the many whohave returned to develop successful careers in New Zealand are:• The Hon Dr Michael Cullen (PhD in History, University of Edinburgh,

1968-1971), Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand; Minister ofFinance; Minister of Tertiary Education

• Vincent O’Sullivan (BLitt in English, University of Oxford, 1960-1962),author

• Dr Eru Woodbine Pomare, d.1995 (MD in Bileacid Metabolism,University of Bristol, 1971-1975), former Dean of the Wellington Schoolof Medicine; campaigner for improved Maori health

• Dr James Buwalda, (MPhil in Biological Science, Rothamsted Research(Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council), 1980-1983),Chief Executive of Department of Labour; former Chief Executive of the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology

• Professor Jonathan Boston (DPhil in Government Studies, University of Oxford, 1980-1983), Professor of Public Policy; DeputyDirector of the Institute of Policy Studies, Victoria University of Wellington

Commonwealth Scholarships for UK citizens wishing to study in NewZealand are normally advertised in January, with a closing date in March or April, for take-up at the start of the following year. Further details can be obtained from the New Zealand section of the CSFP website athttp://www.csfp-online.org

CURRENT SCHOLARS

Jennifer Infanti, from Canada:I am a social anthropologist studying the various ways children makemeaning or sense of their experiences of family violence in Palmerston

North, New Zealand. Thereseemed to be manyopportunities to participate inresearch in New Zealand withexciting practical applicationsfor social change. I also choseNew Zealand because of itsreputation for spectaculargeography and friendlypeople; in both respects, Ihave not been disappointed.One of the greatest benefitsof the CommonwealthScholarship for me has beenthe opportunity to makefriends with many studentsfrom around the world.

Daan Steenkamp from South Africa:I have been pursuing a Master’s degree in Economics at the University ofAuckland. Auckland is an incredibly multicultural city and studying in NewZealand has exposed me to a diverse range of views on developmenteconomics and life in general. Apart from studying, I have worked as anintern at the NZ Reserve Bank, which provided me with practical experienceof econometric modelling and the inner workings of a central bank. I havealso done much travelling in Australasia.

Manjula Weerasekera from Sri LankaI am a lecturer attached to the Department of Microbiology, Faculty ofMedical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. At present I am studyingfor a PhD in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, at theWellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Otago University. Ourgroup is mainly working on dental caries and dental plaque microcosms. Myresearch is on dental caries and the role of yeast on caries, which mostlyincludes molecular biology. New Zealand is a great place to live and study.

COUNTRY PROFILE – New Zealand

Jennifer Infanti on right

Daan Steenkamp

The Commonwealth Scholarship and FellowshipPlan (CSFP) is one of the oldest and mostprestigious schemes of its kind in the world. It wasestablished at the first Conference ofCommonwealth Education Ministers in 1959. Since,over 24,000 individuals have held awards, hostedby over twenty countries.

From the outset, the United Kingdom has been thelargest single contributor, and over half of theawards have been held here. CSFP awards in theUnited Kingdom are managed by theCommonwealth Scholarship Commission, a publicbody established by Act of Parliament. Twogovernment departments fund the Commission: theDepartment for International Development, whichsupports awards to developing Commonwealthcountries, and the Foreign and CommonwealthOffice, which supports awards to the remainder ofthe Commonwealth.

Day-to-day administration of the Commission ishandled by its Secretariat, which is based at theAssociation of Commonwealth Universities. TheBritish Council handles welfare and financialadministration, and provides pre-departure advicethrough its local offices.

At present, the Commission offers six discrete typesof award:

• General Scholarships• Academic Staff Scholarships• Academic Fellowships• Split-Site Scholarships• Professional Fellowships• Distance Learning Scholarships

Further details of current provision and selectionprocedures can be found on the UK section of theCSFP web site at http://www.csfp-online.org

We hope that you have enjoyed this edition of CommonwealthScholarships News. If you have any feedback, or you have asuggestion for a future article (indeed you may be interested inwriting one yourself!) please get in touch with the Editorial Team at:

comments@cscuk.org.uk

Commonwealth Scholarships NewsCommonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdomc/o The Association of Commonwealth UniversitiesWoburn House20-24 Tavistock SquareLondonWC1H 9FHUK

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