News
Read the latest news about the CSC community and find out more about our current Scholars and Fellows, Alumni and partners.
Latest News
Alumni Community Engagement Fund – Applications now open!
We are delighted to announce that applications for the CSC’s Alumni Community Engagement Fund (ACEF) are now open! The Alumni Community Engagement Fund (ACEF) is an annual fund which seeks to support Commonwealth Alumni in raising awareness of key development issues...
Connecting with Commonwealth Alumni and partners in the Caribbean
This month, our Alumni Relations Manager Kirsty Scott will be visiting Commonwealth Alumni in the Caribbean to find out about their work and how it supports sustainable development in the region. During the visit, Kirsty will be meeting with alumni associations, which...
Engaging youth to drive development positive action in India
Between August 2024 to February 2025, Commonwealth Alumnus Dr Monika Gupta delivered three activities to promote the role of youth activism in driving positive change and progress in India.
Promoting awareness on inclusive health care for health service providers in Nigeria
In September 2024, Commonwealth Alumnus Dr Charles Chukwuemeka Okolie delivered a training workshop for healthcare service providers in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria to raise awareness of inclusive healthcare services and improve access to healthcare for gender and sexual minority individuals.
Building youth climate action: Model Conference of Parties (COP) in Pakistan
Between January to February 2025, Commonwealth Alumnus Manzil e Maqsood delivered a two-day Model Conference of Parties 2025 (MCOP 2025) event for youth in Pakistan to learn about and experience global climate discussions through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCC) Conference of Parties (COP) model.
Promoting eye health for special needs children in Ghana
Between 9-10 October 2025, Commonwealth Alumnus Michael Ntodie delivered a two-day training workshop to raise awareness of eye health for children with special needs in Ghana.
Engaging Vyapin island fisher communities in mangrove restoration and ocean clean-up initiatives in Kerala, South India
Between December 2024 to January 2025, Commonwealth Alumnus Fredrick Juma Syanya delivered two activities to build awareness of the importance of mangrove conservation in protecting marine wildlife and coastal communities from climate change in Vyapin island, South India.
Promoting disability inclusion in health research institutions in Uganda
In November 2024, Commonwealth Alumni Andrew Sentoogo Ssemata and Ronald Kiyemba delivered a workshop to promote awareness of disability inclusion in health research institutions in Uganda.
Microplastic and nanoplastic pollution: promoting actionable strategies to save oceans in India
In November 2024, Commonwealth Alumnus Dr Bunty Sharma delivered a two-day national workshop on, ‘Microplastic and Nanoplastic Pollution (MNP-2024): analytical tools for detection and remediation techniques’. The workshop was designed to promote analytical tools to detect and mitigate micro-nanoplastic pollution, build capacity amongst new researchers in this technique and discuss strategies to prevent further plastic contamination of rivers, oceans and coastal areas in India.
CSC Commissioner joins first cohort of Commonwealth Startup Fellows
Last month CSC Commissioner Professor Kevin Ibeh attended a launch event for Commonwealth Startup Fellows in Ghana where he met the new Fellows and held dialogues with partner organisations in the country. Launching the CSF programme Following a weekend of travel...
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.
