The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the main UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth.
Each year, the CSC offers Professional Fellowships for mid-career professionals from low- and middle-income countries to spend a period of time at a UK Host organisation for a programme of professional development. The Fellowships provide recipients with an opportunity to enhance knowledge and skills in their given sector, and to have catalytic effects on their workplaces and beneficiaries after their placement. An integral strand of the CSC’s current strategy to support the UK’s development priorities is our series of annual thematic Time Limited Programmes (TLPs).
TLPs were introduced in 2018/19 with a programme of awards to The Gambia to welcome the country back to the Commonwealth. This was followed by a programme on Disability in 2019/20. This year, the CSC will be running a special Professional Fellowship programme promoting Girls’ Education as part of the UK government’s ambitious initiatives to get 40 million more girls into primary and secondary school in developing countries by 2025 and improve learning levels, so that girls can achieve their full potential.
The latest TLP theme supports the CSC’s objective to ‘ensure that our programmes promote equity and inclusion, reward merit, and deliver widespread access, especially to those from disadvantaged backgrounds’. The TLP also aligns with FCDO’s priority to champion Girl’s Education, and directly contributes to delivering on SDGs 4, 5 and 17.
In addition to the Fellowship itself, a range of activities will be offered to support the Fellows and to underpin the importance of work in this area. These include a year-long engagement and communications strategy focused on promoting girl’s education; alumni events held across the Commonwealth; and additional support being provided to the CSC’s ‘Access, Inclusion and Opportunity’ online Knowledge Hub.
The CSC will be sharing updates on these in due course. In the meantime, visit the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships page for further information about the programme and its application process.
