News
Read the latest news about the CSC community and find out more about our current Scholars and Fellows, Alumni and partners.
Latest News
Development in Action webinar series: Climate change challenges for Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
On Tuesday 26 November 2024, the CSC Alumni Team invited Commonwealth Alumnus Mahendra Kumar to deliver a webinar on ‘Climate change challenges for Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS)’. This webinar addressed the CSC development theme of Strengthening...
Strengthening the accessibility of eye healthcare in Ghana
On 7 November, Commonwealth Alumni in Ghana participated in a panel discussion on the accessibility of eye healthcare in Ghana. Eye healthcare is an integral part of health, however challenges in administering eye healthcare are prevalent in West, East and Southern...
Canadian Alumni host Commonwealth Scholarships 65th Anniversary Reception
On 6 November, the Canadian Association of Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows (CACSF) hosted a CSC 65th Anniversary Reception at the British High Commission in Ottawa. The event brought together over 30 Commonwealth Alumni living in Ottawa, Kingston and Montreal to...
Celebrating Commonwealth scholarship opportunities in the Solomon Islands
On 1 November, the Solomon Islands Commonwealth Scholars Alumni Association (SICSAA) held an event to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC). Since 1988, 16 citizens of the Solomon Islands have been awarded a...
Annabel Boud appointed as the CSC’s first Chief Executive Officer
Annabel Boud will take up the role of inaugural Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) from 1 November 2024. The CSC is an arm’s length body of the UK Government, an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by...
Commonwealth Alumni Association of Zambia (CAAZ) celebrates 65 years of Commonwealth Scholarships
To bring together Commonwealth Alumni and celebrate the impact and achievements of Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship recipients in Zambia, on 26 October the Commonwealth Alumni Association of Zambia (CAAZ) held an away-day at the Kuzipa Campsite in Lusaka. The...
Launching the Small Island Developing States scholarship stream
The CSC is pleased to launch a new stream of Commonwealth Scholarships for Small Island Developing States to support the aims of the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). This year’s CHOGM, currently being hosted in Samoa, will explore opportunities...
Development in Action webinar series: How do we ensure that girls meaningfully gain from investments in Education?
On Tuesday 22 October 2024, the CSC Alumni Team invited Commonwealth Alumnus Sylivia Ichumar to deliver a webinar on ‘How do we ensure that girls meaningfully gain from investments in Education?’. This webinar addressed the CSC development theme of, Access, inclusion...
Commonwealth Alumni in Nigeria hold first international conference
On 14 and 15 October, the Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows Alumni Association Nigeria (COSFAN) held their first international conference on the theme, ‘Reimagining an inclusive society through governance, technology and social justice’. The event was held at the...
Showcasing Commonwealth Entrepreneurs in Nigeria
On 03 October 2024, Commonwealth Alumni in Nigeria convened to showcase and spotlight development impact through entrepreneurship and business innovation, as part of their celebrations to mark 65 years of Commonwealth Scholarships. The event comprised a business fair...
Latest Publications and Resources
Tackling corruption, addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable development: three new case studies
The CSC brings you three new alumni Case Studies that vividly demonstrate how Commonwealth Alumni are applying the skills and knowledge sharpened on Scholarship to lead and influence change and to successfully deliver developmental activities that have improved livelihoods in their communities and beyond.
Exploring the developmental impact of Commonwealth Alumni: three new case studies
The CSC is excited to bring you three new Case Studies as part of our on-going work exploring the individual trajectories of Commonwealth Alumni. They complement the six case studies published earlier in 2022 and provide further evidence as to the wide-ranging impact of Commonwealth Alumni and the contribution their Commonwealth Scholarship has made to their developmental work.
Exploring Diary Methods to Measure the Outcomes and Impact of International Scholarships
The CSC Evaluation Team is always keen to explore more innovative ways to identify and measure the outcomes and impact of Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships. In 2019-2020 we conducted a trial and a pilot study to test the feasibility and effectiveness of using diary methods as a potential tool to collect information on the experiences, activities, and events of our alumni ‘in the moment’ following the Scholarship.
Knowledge, Networks and Development: 20 years of Commonwealth Professional Fellowships
‘In my career, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened’ said Dr Akinniyi Ayobami Adeleke, reflecting on the transformative impact of his CSC Professional Fellowship. As Head Librarian at Redeemer’s University in Nigeria, Dr Adeleke continually applies the advanced computer programming and management skills gained through his Fellowship at the University of East London towards the upgrading and modernisation of his university’s library services, as well as the upskilling of his colleagues.
Alumni Voices: Exploring the Outcomes and Impact of Commonwealth Scholarships
The CSC has long known that its Alumni go on to become change agents in their institutions and communities and that their Scholarships and Fellowships are a key contributor to this work. The establishment of the CSC’s dedicated Evaluation and Monitoring programme has facilitated the systematic gathering of evidence and data to support this knowledge, initially through surveys but increasingly through more innovative and rich methodologies including, most recently, a case study approach. This approach, as applied by the CSC, has involved investigation of individual Alumni trajectories through in-depth interviews, giving them an opportunity to share details of their experiences and developmental activities following the Scholarship. The case study approach allowed for a much more thorough investigation and understanding of the wider benefits of the Commonwealth Scholarships as well as the wide variety of contexts that have facilitated or hindered the achievement of Scholarship outcomes and impact.
CSC @ DHG 2021
After co-hosting the 10th Donor Harmonisation Group Forum in London in partnership with the Association of Commonwealth Universities and British Council, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission was pleased to attend the 11th Donor Harmonisation Group Forum in Basel,...
Experiences of Commonwealth Scholars and Alumni: Enabling Factors and Barriers to Scholarship Impact
The CSC offers a wide range of Scholarships and Fellowships which provide opportunities for talented and motivated individuals from across the Commonwealth to gain knowledge and skills with the aim of contributing towards sustainable development. Over the years, data collected from the Commonwealth Alumni has reinforced anecdotal evidence that the wide variety of contexts that Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows return to can act as barriers or enabling factors (or in some cases both) when it comes to Alumni securing relevant employment, applying the skills and knowledge acquired during their studies to their full potential, and realising their potential for development impact.
Forging connections and collaboration across the Commonwealth: A Review of the Commonwealth Academic Fellowship Programme
As well as offering Scholarships for postgraduate and doctoral study, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission has funded almost 2,500 Academic Fellowships since 1969, providing early and mid-career academics from across the Commonwealth with the opportunity to work and undertake research at UK universities. The CSC Evaluation Team recently undertook a review of the programme using data gathered from the 2015-2017 cohorts. The aim was to identify the outcomes, impact, and the scope of the potential short and long-term benefits of the Academic Fellowships on the Fellows’ Host institutions in the UK and their employing institutions in their home countries, as well as on the Fellows themselves.
Learning more about the Commonwealth Split-site programme
The CSC has proudly offered Scholarships for Split-site doctoral study for over twenty years and is delighted to announce the launch of the 2021 programme. Since 1998, this programme has provided a unique opportunity for more than 500 Commonwealth Scholars studying...
Twenty Years of Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships
The CSC is proud to have supported over 3,000 exceptional scholars from 41 countries across the Commonwealth to undertake Commonwealth Scholarships by Distance Learning over the last two decades. In the run-up to the twentieth anniversary of the programme, the CSC is preparing to undertake an in-depth programme evaluation, beginning with the publication of a short rapid analysis summary and infographic highlighting the unique attributes and impact of the programme.
