The CSC welcomes today’s announcement by the UK government of a new programme of Commonwealth Rutherford Fellowships. The fellowships – announced by the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation – will attract the brightest minds from across the Commonwealth to the UK and support innovation and scientific discovery. They will be offered through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) and managed by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).

Richard Middleton, Chair of the CSC, said ‘The CSC has a track record in attracting talented researchers from across the Commonwealth to collaborate on groundbreaking research with UK universities. We are delighted to be able to extend this support through this new programme, with the generous support of the UK government through the Rutherford Fund’.

Dr Joanna Newman, Executive Secretary of the CSC, and Chief Executive and Secretary General of the ACU, said ‘The ACU is committed to promoting and facilitating academic mobility. We are really pleased that we will be working with the CSC to administer this new programme, which will help boost the contribution that international scientists and researchers make to UK innovation’.

Details of the new programme, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, will be announced in the coming weeks.