Date: 20/01/2026
Time: 09:00 – 19:00 (GMT)
Location: QEII Centre, London
Get ready for an exciting day of talks and networking
The CSC Connect and Collaborate event is the largest event in the CSC calendar and a chance to celebrate Scholars’ achievements and hear from inspirational speakers involved in the work of the CSC and the wider Commonwealth.
Scholars will have the chance to meet and share ideas with fellow Scholars based in the UK and showcase how their scholarship work is making a difference in the world. The programme will feature talks and breakout sessions throughout the day, as well as opportunities to network and forge lasting connections for future.
The event will be held at the QEII Centre in London. There is information about getting to the venue and an interactive floorplan on the QEII Centre website.
Event programme
09:00-10:00
Registration and networking | Lobby and Pickwick
10:00-10:20
Delegates to be seated in Churchill
10:25-10:35
Welcome address by Professor Robin Mason ORB, CSC Chair | Churchill
10:35-10:40
FCDO address by Minister Chris Elmore, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | Churchill
10:40-11:20
Morning keynote address by The Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Commonwealth Secretary General | Churchill
11:20-11:45
Move to breakout sessions
11:45-13:15
Development theme discussion panels | Churchill; Gieldgud; Olivier; Redgrave and Burton; Victoria; Albert
13:15-14:15
Lunch and networking | Pickwick
14:15-14:30
Move to breakout sessions
14:30-16:00
Networking for impact workshops | Churchill; Gieldgud; Olivier; Redgrave and Burton; Victoria; Albert
16:00-16:15
Refreshments and networking | Pickwick
16:15-16:30
Delegates to be seated in Churchill
16:30-17:15
Afternoon keynote address by Professor Daniella Tilbury, UK Government’s focal point at the UNECE and an expert adviser to the European Commission on sustainable development; Commonwealth Alumnus | Churchill
17:15-17:20
Vote of thanks by Commonwealth Scholar representative | Churchill
17:20-17:30
Closing address by Professor Robin Mason ORB, CSC Chair | Churchill
17:30-17:45
Move to Pickwick for reception
17:45-19:00
Reception and networking | Pickwick
Event close
Professor Robin Mason ORB
Robin Mason is the Chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) and the Accounting Officer of the CSC.
Robin is Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) at the University of Birmingham and is responsible for all aspects of the university’s global engagement. He is also the executive lead for LGBT+ equality in the University.
He has held senior leadership positions in higher education since 2006 and has been a member of the executive board of two UK Russell Group universities. As Chair, Robin is responsible for ensuring the CSC makes good decisions (consistent with UK Government priorities) and for ensuring the Commission develops and implements an effective strategy.
Robin is firmly committed to the mission of the CSC, to provide opportunities for talented and motivated young people who could not otherwise afford them, having himself been educated from the age of 11 thanks entirely to scholarships.
Robin’s academic research concentrates on the incentives faced by economic agents in situations where they have imperfect information about their environment. Formally, his area is game theory with incomplete information and learning.
He is a decision-making member of the Competition Appeal Tribunal and the Financial Conduct Authority.
He has acted as advisor to a number of regulators, in both the UK and internationally; to the Prime Minister of Mauritius on competition policy; and to a number of private-sector companies worldwide.
Minister Chris Elmore
Minister Chris Elmore was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 7 September 2025. He was previously Comptroller of HM Household (Government Whip) between 10 July 2024 and 7 September 2025. He was elected as the MP for Bridgend in July 2024.
As Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Multilateral, Human Rights, Latin America and the Caribbean), his portfolio includes:
- Latin America
- Caribbean
- Small Island Developing States
- United Nations, multilateral, human rights and Commonwealth
- Strategy and delivery
The Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey
The Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey is the seventh Commonwealth Secretary-General and is the first African woman to hold the office. Born in Accra, Ghana, she has spent decades in high-profile roles in politics and diplomacy.
She was a Member of Parliament representing two of Ghana’s largest constituencies from 2005 to 2021, and served as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration from 2017 to 2024. Her tenure was marked by key reforms in foreign policy and consular services, with a focus on digitisation.
As Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers from 2020 to 2022, she led crucial responses to democratic, security and institutional challenges in the region. While on the United Nations Security Council, she also supported several efforts to promote peace in different parts of the world.
She is a qualified Barrister and Solicitor with an Executive MBA from the University of Ghana Business School, a master’s in public communication from the University of Westminster and an LLB from the University of London.
She took office on 1 April 2025, with a focus on maximising the Commonwealth’s influence and effectiveness in a complex and changing world.
Professor Daniella Tilbury
Professor Daniella Tilbury is the UK Government’s focal point at the UN Economic Commission for Europe on ESD and an expert adviser to the European Commission on the green and digital transitions in education. She has held the position of Vice-Chancellor, Dean, Director of Research and Chair at universities in UK, Australia, Hong Kong, and Gibraltar. Daniella was a member of the Board of WWF Australia that brought Earth Hour to the World in 2007 and has been actively involved in international initiatives that inspire transitions towards sustainability and climate positive futures.
She is an Honorary Fellow of St Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge, and Member of Council of the University of Girona and a Climate Ambassador. Previously, she undertook field evaluations of WWF’s investment in sustainability education, visiting numerous Commonwealth countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and the Americas. She has participated in several high-level Commonwealth events and remains an active advocate for the Commonwealth.
Professor Daniella Tilbury is a 1990 Commonwealth Scholar from Gibraltar. She completed a PhD in Higher Education for Sustainability at University of Cambridge.
Workshops
The programme will feature interactive sessions throughout the day providing the chance to discuss current development issues and network with fellow Scholars.
In the morning, there will be a development theme discussion panel featuring guest speakers between 11:45-13:15. In the afternoon, there will be a workshop on networking for impact between 14:30-16:00.
Please refer to the group allocations for both sessions for more information.
