Date: 16/04/2026
Time: 16:00 – 20:00 (BST)
Location: 10 Committee Room, House of Commons, London
Join the Alastair Niven Memorial Seminar
This is a special event celebrating the life and legacy of Dr Alastair Niven, a former Commonwealth Scholar and long-term supporter of higher education in the Commonwealth. The event will spotlight Alastair’s remarkable journey as a Commonwealth Scholar and his vital contributions to advancing intellectual life, cultural dialogue, and educational opportunities.
Dr Alastair Niven LVO OBE, was a UK Commonwealth Scholar at the University of Ghana in the 1960s. From the wide ranging and rich experiences, he encountered whilst in West Africa, the foundations for a successful future were laid. Dr Niven had a lifetime commitment to education, literature and support for educationally disadvantaged peoples. He was an academic, a cultural diplomat, an author, a champion for African and Commonwealth writers (including as a Booker Prize judge), a great advocate for the education of young girls globally and a life-time champion for Commonwealth Scholarships.
At this event, we will explore the experiences of Alumni and Scholars through hearing their stories, charting their progress, and learning of their life of engagement in all aspects of development: economic, social, political, academic, educational, scientific and technical.
The seminar will also seek their views on what further might be done to enhance the impact of the programme.
Event programme
Welcome and introduction
16:00-16:15
- Stephen Twigg (Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; Council for Education in the Commonwealth)
- Bambos Charalambous MP (Member of Parliament for Southgate and Woodgreen)
A Scholar’s life: Remembering the experiences and achievements of Dr Alastair Niven LVO OBE
16:15-16:30
- Chair: Dr Neil Kemp MBE OBE (Council for Education in the Commonwealth)
- Dr Faye Taylor (Department for Education)
- Mrs Helen Niven (Open University)
Alumni stories: Exploring the careers and experiences of Commonwealth Alumni
16:30-17:00
- Chair: Professor Colin Riordan CBE (The Association of Commonwealth Universities)
- Geoffrey Payne (University of Delhi, India)
- Victoria Edwards (University of Canterbury, New Zealand)
- Dr Lin Cherurbai Sambili-Gicheha (Loughborough University, UK)
Who benefits from scholarships?
17:00-17:10
- Chair: Professor Colin Riordan CBE (The Association of Commonwealth Universities)
- Professor Robin Mason ORB (Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK)
Our futures in their hands: Panel session with current Commonwealth Scholars
17:10-17:40
- Chair: Dr Terri-Ann Gilbert-Roberts (Commonwealth Secretariat)
- Hamid Abdalla Hamid (Coventry University)
- Dr Sarah Gharib (University of Warwick)
- Christine Olando (University of Warwick)
An Alumnus advises
17:40-17:50
- Chair: Dr Neil Kemp MBE OBE (Council for Education in the Commonwealth)
- Richard Burge (University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka)
Reflections
17:50-18:00
- Stephen Twigg (Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; Council for Education in the Commonwealth)
Reception
18:00-20:00
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Room, Westminster Hall
