Throughout January and February, the CSC has been hosting site visits for Commonwealth Scholars based at universities across the UK. Our Programme Officers have travelled the length and breadth of the country to meet Scholars and learn about their UK study experiences. Here is our round-up of some of the recent visits that have taken place.
Down on the coast
Scholars sharing their experiences in Sussex
On Thursday 19 January, CSC Programme Officer Maggie Goncalves led a site visit for Commonwealth Scholars at the University of Sussex to find out about their experiences of studying and living on the south coast.
During the visit, Scholars spoke about the direction their studies were taking and their experience of student life on campus. They also shared tips on study skills and discussed the challenges of adapting to the UK higher education system for international students.
Professor Antonella de Santo, CSC academic advisor and Professor of Physics at the University of Sussex, also joined the session to meet Scholars and offer advice.
In the heart of the city
Commonwealth Scholars studying at the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University joined an interactive site visit on Tuesday 31 January where they discussed the vibrant city life in Manchester and what they hoped to achieve after their scholarship.
The visit was led by CSC Programme Office Ruth Mensah and attended by several academic supervisors and advisors who contributed to an interesting discussion on the intersection of research and international development.
This being the first time that several Scholars had met in person, it was also a great opportunity for Scholars to learn about each other’s area of work and what inspired them to undertake a Commonwealth Scholarship.
New research in a historic setting
On Wednesday 22 February, Scholars in Cambridge came together for a research event hosted in the Webb Library at Jesus College, University of Cambridge.
Scholar research presentations in Cambridge
The event was co-organised by CSC Commissioner Professor Madeleine Arnot with support from the CSC Programme Team and provided an opportunity for Scholars to present their research findings to an audience of fellow Scholars.
Six Commonwealth Scholars delivered presentations on their current research and how they intended to address contemporary challenges in development through their work. This was followed by a discussion about ways in which research can be applied in real-world contexts to deliver achievable outcomes with positive societal benefits.
During the session, Scholars also had a chance to talk about their scholarship experiences at the University of Cambridge and the various events and activities they had organised as a Regional Network to unwind outside of their studies.
A day in the Yorkshire capital
Scholars and CSC staff in Leeds
To round off February’s site visits, Programme Officers Ruth Mensah and Nathan Haigh and Programme Finance Office Mark Appiah led a visit for Scholars studying at the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University.
The visit was well attended with around 28 Scholars joining to talk about their experiences of studying in Leeds and praising the friendliness of people in the city and the high level of support provided by their respective universities.
“It’s great to see Leeds attract so many talented young Scholars”.
Academic supervisor, Leeds site visit
During the visit, a number of academic supervisors and advisors also dropped in to meet Scholars and share their insights on making the most of the postgraduate experience.
