26 public health professionals from developing countries are among the beneficiaries of the 2010 Commonwealth Professional Fellowships scheme, announced today.
56 Professional Fellows in total will work with UK organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors, each of whom make a significant commitment of time and in-kind resources. Many of the Fellowships, which are supported by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, will contribute to public health needs in developing countries. Examples include a Professional Fellow at the East London NHS Trust looking to play a critical role in the development of child and adolescent mental health services in Uganda, a Professional Fellow working with the NGO Interact Worldwide in support of a Nigerian government programme on the health and development of adolescents, and a Professional Fellow at the Manchester-based George House Trust aiming to help young people with HIV/AIDS in Zambia.
Professor Tim Unwin, Chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, said that the Fellowships are an important element of the Commission’s activities. ‘Since their introduction in 2002, our Professional Fellowships have provided short, focused and practical help to individuals who use them to make a difference in a range of areas. Feedback has been excellent, and there is evidence that many recipients have forged long-standing partnerships with their host organisations. UK hosts, from many different sectors, also make a significant contribution to the scheme in terms of time and resources, for which we are very grateful,’ he said. The Professional Fellowships are the latest part of the Commission’s long standing support for health-related projects, the impact of which has been documented in the Commission’s recent health evaluation report.
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Notes to editors
- The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC) is responsible for managing Britain’s contribution to the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), established in 1959, and supports around 750 awards annually.
- Commonwealth Professional Fellowships awards offer mid-career professionals from developing Commonwealth countries an opportunity to spend a period (typically three months) with a UK host organisation working in a relevant field. The scheme is funded by the Department for International Development. More information is available on the CSC website.
- ‘Evaluating Commonwealth Scholarships in the United Kingdom: Assessing impact in the health sector’ is the latest report of the CSC’s Evaluation and Monitoring Programme. The report found that 38% of alumni respondents were able to cite their work as having a direct impact on health, and that many alumni have risen to senior levels, including chief medical officers, permanent secretaries in health ministries and leading figures in international health agencies. More information is available on the CSC website
- The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is an international programme under which member governments offer scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries. The Plan was established at the first Commonwealth education conference in 1959 and is reviewed by education ministers at their triennial meetings.
- For further information, please contact Natasha Lokhun, +44 (0)20 7380 6760
