On 24 August 2017, British Council Zambia on behalf of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) hosted a pre-departure briefing for the award recipients at the British High Commission in Lusaka.

Speaking at the event, Fergus Cochrane - Dyet OBE, British High Commissioner to Zambia said: These sixteen, fortunate Zambians have a wonderful opportunity to study in Britain at some of the best universities in the world. The UK has considerable advantages such as English language and an open, international outlook, which means our universities attract high-calibre students from every corner of the world. Most important of all, Zambia stands to benefit from the knowledge and expertise that the sixteen will bring with them on their return home.

Wayne Harper, British Council Zambia Country Director said: The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship programme in Zambia is a truly global programme, with over 30,000 individuals across the Commonwealth having benefited over the years. The first scholar on our records from Zambia is from 1964, and over six hundred Zambians have gone to the UK under the scheme since then. These scholars represent some of the brightest and most dynamic Zambians in the country, and as the British Council we’re very proud that we’ve been able to assist in the development of their careers and their ability to contribute to the development of Zambia.

The programme is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and is administered by the British Council and the Association of Commonwealth Universities in the UK (ACU). To date, over 629 Zambians have benefited from Commonwealth awards, many of them returning to contribute to Zambia’s development and reaching the highest levels of their profession.

Commonwealth Scholarships, which are open to citizens of the Commonwealth, have been running for over fifty years. The scholarships are targeted at individuals with intellectual ability, leadership potential and a personal commitment to development, providing them with study opportunities in other Commonwealth countries. The scholarship programme aims to improve skills in the key sectors which drive country development and expose the beneficiaries to international networks.

The sixteen scholarship beneficiaries were congratulated at the British High Commission in Lusaka as they embark on Master’s and PhD programmes at universities across the UK in a variety of disciplines including engineering, public health, economics, media & communication, education and agriculture science among others. Notably, three of the sixteen scholars have been awarded PhD scholarships, which will provide three years of full support towards the completion of a doctoral postgraduate qualification at a UK university.

Further details

• The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We create international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and build trust between them worldwide.
• For more information, please visit the [British Council UK website[(http://www.britishcouncil.org) and British Council Zambia website.
• You can also keep in touch with the British Council through Twitter, Blog and Facebook.
• Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships in developing Commonwealth countries are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Scottish Government (for developed Commonwealth countries), in conjunction with UK universities , with the aim of contributing to the UK’s international development aims and wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education, and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth.
• For more detail visit the Commonwealth Scholarships website.