Issue 2 - Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United ...

NEWSPromoting learning, development and co-operationIssue 2December 2006Reaching New Communities:A closer look at Distance LearningREPORT FROM PCF4, JAMAICA • FUNDING BOOST FOR DISTANCE LEARNING • COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARS IN THE COMMUNITYNEWS FROM OUR SCHOLARS AND ALUMNI • ALUMNI IN ACTION • ALUMNI PROFILE • CSC EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES1

THIS ISSUECoverThree CommonwealthDistance Learning scholarscompleting a water analysisexercise, as part of the MSc inAquatic Resource Development(offered by the University of Stirling, UK inconjunction with Bangladesh AgriculturalUniversity, Mymensingh, Bangladesh).2 – 3 News Round-UpThe latest from theCommonwealth ScholarshipCommission.4 – 5 Scholars’ NewsNews, views and events of ourcurrent scholars.6 – 7 Pan Commonwealth Forumon Open Learning 4Report from latest conferencein Jamaica8 Alumni in ActionAn update on the activities of ouralumni.9 Alumni ProfileEdward Bwengye-Kahororo,former Distance Learning scholarfrom Uganda10-11 Professional Networks andCSC EventsReports on recent networkseminars and events12 Information about the CSFPand CSC contact detailsCommonwealth Scholarships News(formerly Omnes)Editorial Team:Dr John Kirkland, Jocelyn Law, Anna O’Flynn,Sarah Humphreys and Natasha Lokhun.Design:John KirbyPrint:DSI Colour WorksCommonwealth Scholarships News is publishedthree times a year by the CommonwealthScholarship Commission.EDITORIALDistance learning has become a significant strandof the Commonwealth ScholarshipCommission’s activity in the last five years, and isa particular focus of this issue. In 2005, 139 of the 501scholars who took up awards in 2005 were distancelearners. Through our distance learning schemes,scholars have been able to study a range of Mastersprogrammes offered by UK universities whilst livingand working in their own countries, and this hasopened up opportunities to many people who wouldhave otherwise been unable to come to the UK for fulltimestudy. We are delighted that one of our alumni toProfessor Ann Floydhave studied in distance learning mode, EdwardBwengye-Kahororo, is contributing to this issue (AlumniProfile, page 9).Probably the most important characteristic that ‘distance learning’ courses share is that studentscan study for most of the time wherever they happen to be. In many cases this means thatthey can study part-time, and fit their studies around their work and family commitments.Some courses expect regular attendance for lectures/seminars on most weekends, with privatestudy completed during the week. One course has a requirement to spend a term in the UKwhen students study full-time. Other courses have no attendance requirement at all, but offerscope for face-to-face tutorials for those who are interested. Likewise there is a huge variety inthe technologies used, with some courses relying on print materials, online media, CDs or acombination of these elements in different proportions. E-learning is a useful component inmany systems. This illustrates that distance learning can be achieved through many differentapproaches and technologies.This is not a mode of study that suits everyone, any more than full-time campus based studydoes, which is why the Commission has maintained its current awards and will continue to doso for the foreseeable future. However, it has one special strength that we can see our scholarstaking advantage of, namely its capacity for supported professional development. Our distancelearning scholars are nearly all working professionals, studying to improve their skills and applytheir knowledge in their workplaces. They experience a constant interaction between their workand their study, and are able to discuss the relevance of their studies to their work with fellowstudents and tutors as they progress. Thus their professional development is supported by thecourse in a particularly effective way.In developing distance learning scholarship schemes the Commission has benefited from thestrong history of open/distance learning in the Commonwealth. Many of the world’s openuniversities are in the Commonwealth, and many other universities offer campus based andexternal programmes. This issue contains an account of the fourth Pan-Commonwealth Forumrecently held in Jamaica, whose purpose is to celebrate and share that Commonwealthexpertise. Distance learning, when done well, bears comparison with any other mode of study,and the Commission is delighted to be offering scholarships in this mode alongside its moreestablished routes.Professor Ann Floyd, Chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission DistanceLearning CommitteeCommonwealth Scholarship Commissionc/o The Association of Commonwealth UniversitiesWoburn House, 20 – 24 Tavistock Square,London, WC1H 9HF, UKwww.csfp-online.org2 Commonwealth Scholarships News

NEWS ROUND-UP£1.8 MILLION BOOST FOR INNOVATIVESCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMMEThe CSC’s distance learning scholarshipsprogramme has been boosted by £1.8 million ofextra funding that will support up to 200 newscholarships in the fields of education and health.British universities are now being asked to bid fortheir share of the scholarships, which will all bebased in Africa.Funding for the new awards was announced bySecretary of State for International Development,Hilary Benn, as part of the Government’s continuedsupport for education and training initiatives inAfrica following last year’s G8 summit. It representsa significant expansion of the CSC’s distancelearning programme. Since it began in 2003 theprogramme has already supported over 500students, accountingfor over a third ofcurrent CSC awardholders. Furtherinformation isavailable from theUK section of theCommission’swebsite athttp://www.csfponline.orgHilary Benn, Secretary of State forInternational DevelopmentPROFESSIONAL FELLOWSHIPS 2007The Professional Fellowships Scheme is now inits fifth year with a number of the 69 fellowsselected this year currently on award in the UK.To date, 259 Fellows have taken up awards from33 different Commonwealth countries and theCommission is now preparing to advertise theScheme for its sixth year in 2007. The Schemeprovides a valuable opportunity forprofessionals to spend three months in the UKworking with a UK organisation operating intheir specialist area in order to update and sharetheir skills and knowledge.Applications are invited from UK organisationsin the public, private or voluntary sectors whowould like to host a Professional Fellowship in2007. The deadline for applications to reach usis 30th April 2007 and results will be announcedby mid-June at the latest, for awards to start inSeptember 2007 or January 2008. Furtherinformation about the Scheme and how it worksis available on our Website at http://www.csfponline.org/hostcountries/gb.html.Guidancenotes and an application form will be availableon the website from January.DISTANCE LEARNING WORKSHOPIn September representatives from all 17 of theuniversities involved in the CSC’s distance learningschemes were invited to London for a workshop.The aim of the workshop was to share experiencesand ideas on distance learning, and to contribute tothe ongoing evaluation of the commission’sdistance learning programmes.The workshop focussed on the experience of theUK providers in delivering distance learning coursesto CSC funded scholars, and covered thechallenges and successes that UK providers havehad in terms of the recruitment, retention andmonitoring of scholars. The majority of providersagreed that distance learning is a valuable tool inreaching students who would be otherwise unableto access postgraduate study in the UK orelsewhere. They also agreed that distance learningis not always offered the same level of support andprestige that conventional face-to-face teachingreceives, and they welcomed the opportunity tomeet and debate with fellow professionals workingwithin the distance learning sector.CSC SECRETARIAT ATTEND BRITISHCOUNCIL WELCOME RECEPTIONSVandanaUpadhyay,CommonwealthAcademic Fellow,with the LordMayor of OxfordReceptions for Commonwealth Scholars andFellows were recently held by the British Councilin locations all over the UK. The North-West ofEngland reception, held in the Manchester ArtGallery on 19th October 2006, brought togetherscholars and fellows from Manchester, Lancasterand Liverpool.The reception for Hampshire and Dorsetscholars and fellows took place on 2ndNovember 2006 at the University ofSouthampton, and was attended not only bynewly arrived scholars and fellows but also bycurrent scholars and their families.A reception was held at the Oxford Town Hall onWednesday 25th October 2006 to welcomescholars who had just commenced their studiesat the Universities of Oxford, Oxford Brookesand Reading.There were two British Council welcomereceptions in London, both hosted byInternational Students House, on 25th and 26thOctober 2006. Commonwealth scholars mixedwith British Council scholars from China, Iran,France and Kazakhstan.ACADEMIC ADVISERS: RECRUITMENT UPDATECSCUK has been recruiting new academic advisersthroughout Autumn 2006. Advisers perform ahighly valuable role, providing impartial and expertadvice which contributes towards the final selectionprocess for many awards in the UK. We areextremely grateful to all those who have recentlyagreed to join the panel, as well as those who arecontinuing their tenure in the coming year(s).Newly Recruited Advisers(as at 8 November 2006):Applied Mathematics:Prof. Peter Haynes (Cambridge); Prof. Richard Ward(Durham)Drama, Dance and Performing Arts:Prof. Richard Boon (Hull); Prof. Jim Davis(Warwick); Prof. Helen Gilbert (Royal Holloway);Prof. Katherine Newey (Birmingham)Epidemiology:Prof. Kay-tee Khaw (Addenbrooke's Hospital)Geography:Prof. Mike Barnsley (Swansea); Prof. Ian Reid(Loughborough); Prof. Ian Shennan (Durham);Prof. Bruce Webb (Exeter)Linguistics:Prof. Miriam Meyerhoff (Edinburgh); Prof. SuzanneRomaine (Oxford)Materials:Prof. Chris Carr (Manchester)Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering:Prof. Srinivasan Raghunathan (Queen's, Belfast);Prof C. Sheppard (Leeds)Nutrition:Prof. Garry Duthie (Rowett Research Institute,Aberdeen)Ophthalmology:Prof. Puvana Chandra (H M Stanley Hospital); Prof.Philip Murray (Birmingham Medical School)Psychiatry:Prof. Peter Tyrer (Imperial, Charing Cross Hospital)Pure Mathematics:Prof. Caroline Series (Warwick)Statistics:Prof. Alison Etheridge (Oxford)CSC will be continuing to recruit academic advisersto the panel. Anyone interested in learning moreabout the role of academic adviser should contactTim Vanderpump (tim.vanderpump@cscuk.org.uk)December 2006 3

SCHOLARS’ NEWSCOMMONWEALTH SCHOLARS IN THE COMMUNITYAside from completing coursework and carrying out research, it seems that Commonwealth scholars have been getting actively involved in their localcommunities! Through their colleges, universities and the British Council, scholars have been volunteering themselves for activities which they have foundrewarding, as well as deepening their understanding of local people.JACARI HOME TEACHING SCHEMESimon Ho, an Australian scholar (CommonwealthScholarship DPhil student in Zoology, University ofOxford), participated in the Jacari Home TeachingScheme, which involves pairing up volunteers fromthe University of Oxford with students from non-English speaking backgrounds. As a volunteer,Simon visited a student who was studying for herGCSEs to help her with schoolwork and heradjustment to life in the UK. As well as feeling thatthe scheme has “enormous benefits for thecommunity”, Simon also admits that “it is certainlyrewarding to see the positive impact that I can haveon a young student’s life.” He would alsorecommend the scheme to other CommonwealthScholars, pointing out that “The CommonwealthScholar community is very culturally diverse, andwe all recognise the importance and benefits ofcross-cultural communication.”Simon Ho, 2003Commonwealth Scholar fromAustraliaWORKING FOR SUE RYDER CARECommonwealth Academic Staff Scholar, EurekaAdomako (PhD Ecological Restoration ofAbandoned Gold Mines, University of Aberdeen)decided on a voluntary role at the Sue Ryder Careshop in Aberdeen. Her tasks involve preparingstock, arranging clothes on the rails and servingcustomers. Eureka said, “The atmosphere is veryfriendly and the job is very interesting – arefreshing break from the stress of scientificresearch. I would recommend volunteering toscholars who can find the time for it because it’samazing how much you can learn about theculture of a people in a place like the Sue Rydershop.”EurekaAdomakovolunteeringin the SueRyder CareShopKEEN SCHOLAR AT OXFORD!Commonwealth Scholar, Ingrid Boxall (DPhilExperimental Economics, University of Oxford)decided to volunteer for KEEN (Kids Enjoy ExerciseNow), a registered UK charity which aims toprovide a wide range of activities for individualswith special needs. Ingrid acted as a ‘coach’ to theKEEN ‘athletes’, which involved going along toweekly activities such as drama and musicworkshops, as well as sport sessions, and she alsohelped to advertise events within her college.“I became involved with KEEN primarily as a way tobecome more involved in the local community andnot just participate in university and college-relatedactivities.” Ingrid said, clearly valuing theopportunity to take part in projects such as KEEN:“Often we, as students, become very wrapped upin our academic studies and individual pursuits andwe forget we are part of the larger Oxfordcommunity. KEEN offers the opportunity to givesomething back to the local community while atthe same time benefiting from a rewarding andenjoyable experience.”VOLUNTEERING IN LONDONShortly after arriving in the UK, Patience Orukpe(Commonwealth Scholarship PhD student inControl Systems, Imperial College London) decidedto register at the Imperial College Volunteer Centre,which helps to promote interaction between theuniversity and the wider community. Through thecentre, she became involved in WLAC (WestLondon Action for Children), an independentcharity which provides services for over 300 localchildren and families in West London. In her role asa toy librarian, she organises and keeps records ofplay materials which are loaned out to families.Patience also became involved with a financeliteracy project of SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise),an NGO which is active in 1800 universities and 46countries. The project involved organisingworkshops in schools to improve businessawareness and entrepreneurial skills among 14 to19 year old students by giving them practicalinsights into the business and economic world. Aswell as finding these experiences rewarding,Patience hopes to utilise what she has learnt fromthem upon her return to Nigeria: “I intend to set upa toy library for kids in Nigeria, where many lowincomefamilies are not able to provide theirchildren with adequate learning opportunities,” shesaid. “I also intend to set up a SIFE team at theUniversity of Benin upon return to my country.”SCHOLARS IN2 SCHOOLSRobert Bennin,demonstrating traditionalGhanaian costumeJames Njihia,2004 CommonwealthScholar from KenyaTwo Commonwealth Scholars currently studying atthe University of Warwick, Robert Marshall Bennin(MSc Economics and Finance student) and JamesNjihia (PhD E-governance in developing countries),participated in the British Council’s Scholars in2Schools programme. This scheme, a collaborationbetween the British Council and the West MidlandsLEA Network, aims to forge links between scholarsand local school children and add an ‘internationaldimension’ to the school curriculum.During the 12 months he spent in the UK, Robertvisited two local primary schools and gavepresentations about his native Ghana to childrenaged 2-11 years old. As can be seen from thephotograph, Robert was able to talk about variousaspects of Ghanaian culture, including the nationaldress! James also had the opportunity to visit alocal primary school to participate in their annualfun day, for which the theme was Africa, withparticular emphasis on South Africa, Ethiopia andJames’ native Kenya. After giving a presentation onKenya to the whole group in the morning, Jamesthen moved around the different workshops toshare experiences with the pupils. James clearlyfound the experience enjoyable, saying that hewould encourage other Commonwealth Scholars totake advantage of such opportunities whilst in theUK: “They will be surprised at how even a 10minute interaction can inform and changeperspectives for the better, especially with children.They also get a chance to better understand Britishpeople and culture beyond the University.”You can send your news and views forinclusion in Commonwealth ScholarshipsNews by email: scholarnews@cscuk.org.uk4 Commonwealth Scholarships News

IN YOUR OWN WORDSA.I.D.S. VACCINE 2006South African scholar, Hayley Crawford(Commonwealth Scholarship DPhil student inImmunology of H.I.V. Infection, University ofOxford) was asked to present her research atA.I.D.S. Vaccine 2006, an international conferencein Amsterdam, which took place between 29thAugust and 1st September 2006(http://www.aidsvaccine06.org). At theconference, which was attended by 1,000 of theworld’s top H.I.V. researchers, Hayley spoke about“Infrequent reversion of a B*5703-restricted CTLHIV-Gag epitope.” “It was the scariest thing I’veever had to do, but I’m so glad that I did it. It wasalso great to meet H.I.V. scientists that I’ve readabout and studied for my degree, and ask themquestions and get their input into my own work.”Hayley Crawford, speaking at the A.I.D.S. Vaccine2006 ConferenceSCHOLAR ORGANISES CONFERENCEMaltese Commonwealth Scholarship holder, SteveGingell (LLM, Queen Mary, University of London),helped to organise a one-day conference entitled“There’s more to ‘M & S’ than Marks andSpencers”, which took place at the Centre forCommercial and Legal Studies in London on 17thMay 2006. The conference was organised by theLLM students of QMUL who were specialising in ECTax Law (and the module’s coordinator, Mr. TomO’Shea, LLM). Presentations were given on variousaspects of EC Tax Law and were discussed by thestudents, interested professionals, tax authorityofficials and other experts in the field. As Steveplans to continue working in EC tax, he feels thatthe conference has been a valuable experiencewhich will undoubtedly help him in his career.Moreover, he would encourage others to getinvolved in similar projects: “Being a student is notjust about reading and studying from a book. Astudent must learn through a variety of ways andsuch experiences provide the opportunity to learnthings that are not possible through books andnotes.”Steve Gingell, speaking at “There’s more to ‘M & S’than Marks and Spencers” ConferenceENDANGERED INDIGENOUS LANGUAGESFOR THE SOAS STUDENT RADIO STATIONLouise Ashmore, (MA LanguageDocumentation and Description, School ofOriental and African Studies) produced a radiodocumentary programme about EndangeredIndigenous Languages for the SOAS studentradio station. Here she describes herinvolvement in this project and how thisexperience will help her in the future.Predictions of a significant reduction in thenumbers of languages around the world haveled to a renewed interest within linguistics inlanguage diversity and the study of minority orlesser-known languages. Within Australia, theloss of Aboriginal languages is extensive. Myprevious studies and travels have fostered aninterest in the factors contributing to languageendangerment and in the possibilities forlanguage maintenance and revitalisation. TheHans Rausing Endangered Languages Project(HRELP), housed at SOAS, includes theEndangered Languages Academic Programme,which offers an MA course in LanguageDocumentation and Description and a PhD inField Linguistics. The course offered amultidisciplinary approach to addressing theissues of language endangerment through acombination of practical and theoreticalapproaches to language documentation. Thedevelopment of the skills necessary to carry outlanguage documentation work with endangeredlanguage communities in Australia was theprimary reason I applied for the CommonwealthScholarship to attend SOAS.In the first term of my studies OpenAir Radio, acommunity radio project based at SOAS andfocussed on world music, culture and currentaffairs, was granted a Restricted Service Licence(RSL). The RSL was a short-term licence whichallowed OpenAir to broadcast on an FM signalwithin a 3-mile radius from SOAS, located inCentral London in late 2005 (See OpenAir Radiowebsite, http://www.openair.org.uk) The radiostation asked for volunteers from all areas of theUniversity who were interested in producing awide-range of programmes and different formats(e.g. music programmes, current affairs anddocumentary programmes) to broadcast duringthe RSL. In return the radio station wouldprovide training in radio production andmanagement and connections with communityprojects.The topic of endangered languages is stillrelatively unknown outside of the linguisticscommunity so linguistic diversity and threats to itis often underestimated. Producing a radioprogramme on this topic was a goodopportunity to raise awareness of the issue bybroadcasting to a wider audience and to clarifyour own understanding of what we werecurrently studying. With a fellow student on thecourse, Kay Johnson, I attended training anddeveloped a one hour radio programme drawingon the help of other students on our course. Anemphasis at the radio station was live interviewsand community involvement, so we interviewedlocal residents, asking them how manylanguages they thought existed in the world andwhat languages they spoke. We used thesewide-ranging answers to introduce the topic oflanguage diversity. We also interviewed somestaff members about their experience oflanguage documentation work and obtainedpermission to edit and use an interview of theDirector of HRELP, Professor Peter Austin, whichhad been recorded by the sound artist JohnWynne. John Wynne also generously let usinclude a sound portrait from the Kalahari thathad featured in the exhibition Hearing Voicesheld at the Brunei Gallery, earlier in 2005.Compiling the different segments into a onehour programme (that included music sourcedfrom another fellow student’s multilingual musiccollection) and presenting it in the studio wasinteresting, challenging and very enjoyable.When the RSL broadcast there was a freneticthree weeks of live radio with a huge variety ofdifferent interests represented in programmesand formats. Along with the regular meetingsand training the entire radio project was reallysociable. Rather than detracting from the course,the involvement in the radio show, althoughfairly time-consuming, contributed to andcomplemented my studies. I even based mymajor research paper at the end of Term 1 onthe use of radio for language revitalisation.During the training I learned a number oftechnical skills, such as audio editing, running aradio desk and package making, that can bedirectly applied to aspects of languagedocumentation and the development oflanguage revitalisation resources. Media has animportant role to play in languageendangerment issues, both by contributing tolanguage shift and by having the potential toslow or halt language shift through local mediaproduction in minority languages. As a result ofmy involvement with SOAS OpenAir Radio Ihave become particularly interested in the roleof radio and television for these aims.Importantly, it also made me think about howwe can communicate about the work we areinvolved in to a wider audience beyond theacademic community. For all these reasons, andbecause it was so much fun, I’m really glad I gotinvolved with the radio project and hope toproduce further programmes this year.December 2006 5

THE PCF4 EXPERIENCE:Achieving Development GoalsThe three Distance Learning student representatives participating in a session.The Fourth Pan Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF4) took place atOcho Rios, Jamaica, between 30th October and 3rd November 2006. Over 500delegates took part, representing nearly every country in the Commonwealthand several non-Commonwealth countries, and a range of institutions fromuniversities and government ministries to non-governmental organisations anddevelopment banks.The theme of the 2006 Forum was ‘Achieving Development Goals: Innovation,Learning, Collaboration and Foundations’ and not surprisingly many of theconference sessions dealt with the mechanics of delivering distance learning. Itbecame clear that, for many, access to new technology was still far from easyand that the assumptions made a few years ago that the internet would sweepall before it are now being questioned more closely. It was evident from anumber of sessions that exciting work is being carried out in the developmentof new means of access, for example in the use of multi-purpose mobilephones, but the clear message from many delegates was that the printed wordand face-to-face tutorials still had major roles to play particularly in moreremote parts of the developing Commonwealth. Other themes emerging fromindividual sessions were centred around the need to make sure thatqualifications being offered by one country would be recognised by another;and that some cultures could feel threatened by the fact that distance learningdelivery laid such emphasis on a student having access to the internet.The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission was represented at theconference by two members of its Distance Learning Committee, Professor AnnFloyd and Dr Hilary Perraton, and two members of the Commission’ssecretariat, Dr Jonathan Jenkins and Mrs Teresa Anderson. The Commission’sdelegation co-hosted two sessions based on the paper it presented to theConference on the progress of its Distance Learning programme which now hasnearly 600 students on award (copies available on request). We were joined byrepresentatives of the Indira Gandhi Open University, and the Commonwealthof Learning and it was instructive to compare the different experiences eachorganisation had faced with its distance learning programmes.Specific issues arising from our debates included: the importance of involvingstudents’ employers as stakeholders in the learning process; the potential forconflict between a UK-based scheme seeking to meet the MillenniumDevelopment Goals and a developing country’s perception of its owndevelopment objectives; and the emphasisthat should be placed on providing newdistance learning scholars with appropriatetraining in the study skills required by thismethod of learning. Several of the UKinstitutions offering degrees under the CSCprogramme were presenting papers at PCF4and we were lucky to have at our sessions DrAnne Tholen of the London School ofHygiene, Jon Gregson of Imperial CollegeWye, and Rachael Dixey and Dr Mary Greenfrom Leeds Metropolitan University. It wasinteresting to learn how their courses hadevolved, which in origin were the same asthose taught face to face in the UnitedKingdom, so that they reflected more closelythe strategic regional needs of their students.We were delighted that, due to the generosity of the CommonwealthFoundation and the Commonwealth of Learning, we were able to arrange theparticipation at PCF4 of three of our Distance Learning students who acted asrepresentatives for all those on our programme. Mr T.V. Jeevaraj, Ms FrancinahNkani and Ms Mwamba Nayame, from India, Botswana and Zambiarespectively, were able to provide our sessions with vivid descriptions of howthey managed their work and home lives and also carried out their studies.Of particular interest wasthe direct impact theirstudies (in sustainabledevelopment and publichealth) are having ontheir professional lives.The developmentalpotential of distancelearning was anothermajor theme at PCF4 andthe Commission’sscholars were potentexamples of what couldbe achieved.After four extremely busydays, the conference wasbrought to a close by SirJohn Daniel, President ofthe Commonwealth ofLearning. In a livelyaddress, he summarisedthe major points comingout of the sessions anddirected the attention ofparticipants to the nextPan CommonwealthForum which will betaking place in London in2008.Ms Mwamba Nayame is a Mental Health Nurseat Chainama Hills Hospital near Lusaka,Zambia. She is studying for a Masters degree inPublic Health Promotion offered by LeedsMetropolitan University.At PCF4, I was able to exchange ideas andexperiences, about my job as a mental healthnurse, the HIV/AIDS work I am involved in and asa distance learner. I spent a lot of time with theother student representatives, and it wasinteresting and reassuring to note that, despitecoming from different parts of the world, asstudents we shared a lot in common.I enjoyed most of the sessions I attended fordifferent reasons. The sessions on Health Servicesand Research in ODL and Cross Border Educationgave me a chance to learn from others and theaudience was able to get both the positive andnegative aspects of distance learning from thestudents’ viewpoint. In the sessions on Civil Societyand Gender, and Gender and ODL, many issuesregarding gender equality in education werediscussed. As a woman from a developing country,it made me appreciate the work that is being donein order to provide education to all. It wasinteresting for me to learn how advancedtechnology is helping distance learners, in the E-Learning and Digital Divide workshops.6 Commonwealth Scholarships News

Ms Francinah Nkani is a Lecturer at the Institute of Health Sciencesin Francistown, Botswana. She is studying for a Masters degree inEnvironmental Management offered by Imperial College Wye.Attending PCF4 has enabled me to appreciate the contribution that openand distance learning (ODL) makes to overcoming poverty and enablingdevelopment through the utilisation of available technology.I most enjoyed the sessions on: Gender and ODL, as case studies werepresented and solutions suggested to improve the status of women andempower them; Rural and Community Development, where I learnt thataccess to appropriate information and education is fundamental todevelopment; E-Learning, because the institution that I work for has juststarted offering some topics online and by attending these sessions, I learntwhat challenges were faced by those already doing so and the solutions theydeveloped to integrate online learning into the wider institution; and HealthServices and Research in ODL, which was of interest to me because inBotswana the health sector is faced with many challenges such as theshortage and brain drain of health professionals and HIV/AIDS. All theseissues make it difficult for the sector to engage its staff in conventionallearning processes, but ODL is an option.Mr Thazhath Veetil Jeevaraj is an Agricultural Officer at a DistrictAgricultural Farm in southern India. He is studying for a Masters degreein Sustainable Development offered by Staffordshire University.While studying for an MA in Sustainable Development has broadened myunderstanding of complex development issues of the 21st century througha process of e-learning, PCF4 has complemented this understanding bydeliberating on the process itself. It has also enabled me to interact withother development professionals and educators.On 2nd November, the other two student representatives and myself hada panel discussion with Professor Ann Floyd on how the CommonwealthScholarship Award has enabled us to study our respective postgraduateprogrammes. The feedback from other participants was quite informative.Apart from the session on cross border education chaired by theCommonwealth Scholarship Commission, I was able to attend six othersessions which were interesting to me. These included ‘UK Open Universityopen content programme’ by Professor Andy Lane, ‘Writing for Publication:The value of writing collaboratively’ by Jean Mitchell and ‘ODL for agriculturaldevelopment and rural poverty reduction’ by Surabhi Banerjee.ALUMNI EVENTA reception for Jamaican Alumni was held on Saturday 4th November 2006 atthe University of the West Indies (UWI). The host for the event was Dr HilaryPerraton, Deputy Chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission andone-time member of staff at UWI’s Barbados campus. We were alsohonoured by the attendance of Senator Burchell Whiteman, previouslyMinister of Education in the Jamaican Government.A particularly pleasing aspect of the reception was that attendees representedthe span of the Scholarship programme, from the first award holders fromJamaica (taking up their scholarships in 1961 and 1962) to the most recentalumnus who had only been back in the country for a few months.It was also good to see the delight shown by old friends meeting again, insome cases after many years. Our comprehensive list of all those fromJamaica who had studied in the UK was scanned with great attention and wewere provided with useful information allowing us to update our AlumniDatabase.Dr Perraton explained the working of the alumni chapters and our receptionended with firm commitments that a chapter would be established in Jamaica.We are grateful to Keri-Ann March and her colleagues at the University’sConference Centre for their help and for the delicious buffet.Alumni with Dr Hilary Perraton at the University of the West IndiesDecember 2006 7

ALUMNI IN ACTIONAlumni EventsALUMNI MEETING AT THE UNIVERSITY OFJOHANNESBURGThe Chair of the Commission, Professor TrudyHarpham, hosted an alumni event at the Universityof Johannesburg on 19th July 2006. The ViceChancellor, Dr Ihron Rensburg, kindly loaned hisCouncil Chambers for the event and Louis deKoker, a Professor of Law at the University and analumnus (Academic Fellow at the Institute ofAdvanced Legal Studies, 2004), gathered together20 alumni and newly selected scholars for a livelyexchange of experiences, along with guests fromthe international department at the South AfricanDepartment of Education and the British Council.A predominant research theme among the newlyselected scholars was the 'environment', andscholars on their way to the UK were able to gaintips from the alumni. The 14 Commissioners oftenhold alumni events when they travel toCommonwealth countries for additional business.Keep an eye out for an event in your country andwe hope to see you soon!RECEPTION AT THE HIGH COMMISSIONIN TANZANIADr MonicaDarnboroughaddressing thegatheringthey had to attend a meeting with the PrimeMinister and so were unable to come to thereception. I was glad to have the chance to tell ascholar who was about to come to Aberdeen thathe would need wool pullovers and a thick overcoatand hat - something it was hard to imagine on thepleasantly hot evening under the African stars.Meeting such enthusiastic, lively scholars added tomy store of special memories (cheetahs andelephants particularly) from my first visit toTanzania.Alumni NewsALUMNUS WORKING AS UNITED NATIONSVOLUNTEER PHYSICIANCornelia Osim Ndifon (Commonwealth Scholar,Masters in Public Health at the University of Leeds,2003 – 2004) is currently working as a UnitedNations Volunteer Physician and HIV/AIDSSpecialist in Georgetown, Guyana, South America.Cornelia graduated from the University of Calabar,Nigeria, and then worked as an intern in theUniversity of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Corneliathen started residency training in Obstetrics andGynaecology, working as a registrar between 1998and 2003. She has also served as a Volunteer onNigeria’s Technical AID Corps Programme, workingas a Volunteer Medical Officer in Mozambique.Cornelia says, “I hope to become an expert and aninternational consultant in the areas of reproductivehealth and safe motherhood. In the meantimeproviding optimal and quality HIV care andtreatment to HIV infected families is my priority.”13th August 2006 at the University of Rajasthan,Jaipur. He is currently the recipient of a fellowshipfrom the Indian National Science Academy - DFGbilateral exchange programme at the University ofHeidelberg in Germany (October 2006 - January2007), and has also been awarded a one-yearfellowship by the Royal Society at the University ofNottingham from January 2007.Dr Arnaud Malan (Commonwealth Scholar,Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wales,Swansea, 1999-2002) and now an AssociateProfessor in the Department of Mechanical andAeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria, hasbeen awarded an Association of CommonwealthUniversities Titular Fellowship (The University ofWales, Swansea Fulton Fellowship). Dr Malan plansto spend 5 months doing collaborative researchwith Dr P. Nithiarasu at the University of Swansea.The intended research will be a considerable aid inplacing the University of Pretoria at the forefront ina new and exciting field of computationalmechanics, as well as strengthening research tieswith one of the leading computational institutions.Dr. Mohamed Saleem Badat (CommonwealthScholar, Southern African Studies, University ofYork, 1996 – 1997), previously the Chief ExecutiveOfficer of the Council on Higher Education, hasrecently been appointed Vice-Chancellor at RhodesUniversity, South Africa. Upon his inauguration, Dr.Badat, one of the first South African scholars tostudy in the UK on a Commonwealth Scholarship,launched the Jakes Gerwel Rhodes UniversityScholarship Fund, which will provide five fullscholarships per annum to Eastern Cape studentsfrom socially disadvantaged backgrounds.The Chapter isactive and holdsregular meetings;MonicaDarnbrough,Commissioner,writes about cohostinga reception for alumni and distancelearning scholars in Tanzania with the BritishHigh Commissioner, Philip Parham, on 28thAugust 2006.Nearly a hundred scholars, 35 of whom had beenCommonwealth Scholars, were greeted with awarm speech of welcome in Swahili by the HighCommissioner, Philip Parham. Everyone I met hadstories to tell about their time in the UK – not onlyabout their studies – and everyone was keen toexpand links through further scholarships andalumni networks. Some scholars have amazing jobsin Tanzania especially in academia and in utilities,including electricity supply - Dar es Salaam has fewhours of electricity each day at the moment, so thiswas a hot topic! Two alumni are now Ministers butIN BRIEF - AWARDS AND CAREERANNOUNCEMENTSDr Asmatullah Khan (Academic Fellow,Macroeconomics, University of Strathclyde 2003)has been appointed as Vice Chancellor of a newlyestablished institution, the University of Science andTechnology, Bannu, Pakistan.Professor Lutful Hassan (Commonwealth Scholarin the Department of Agriculture, University ofWales, Aberystwyth, 1986 - 1989) has beenawarded the Norman E. Borlaug Award from theUnited States Department of Agriculture, for hiscontribution to increasing agricultural productivityand reducing food insecurity in Bangladesh.Professor B K Sharma (Academic Fellow,Molecular Biology at the Royal Free Hospital Schoolof Medicine, 2003 - 2004) was the OrganisingSecretary for the "National Conference onConservation and Management of Faunal Diversityof Rajasthan" which took place between 11th –KEEP IN TOUCH!Please keep us informed of your news, such assignificant research, new senior appointment,major publication or national honour or award.You can get in touch by email:alumni@cscuk.ac.uk or you can write to:Sarah Humphreys, AlumniDevelopment Officer*Commonwealth Scholarship Commission forthe United Kingdomc/o The Association of Commonwealth UniversitiesWoburn House20 – 24 Tavistock SquareLondon WC1H 9FHUK*Sarah Humphreys replaces Jocelyn Law, ourpermanent Alumni Development Officer, who iscurrently on maternity leave.8 Commonwealth Scholarships News

ALUMNI PROFILEIn this issue of Commonwealth Scholarships News, our ALUMNI PROFILE feature focuses on one ofour Distance Learning alumni, Edward Bwengye-Kahororo, who works for UNICEF in Uganda as aProject Officer, covering areas such as water and environmental sanitation.THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER SANITATIONFollowing a BA in Social Work and Social Administration and a Masters ofPublic Health, Edward Bwengye-Kahororo has been working in the water andenvironmental sanitation sector since 1997. With water and environmentalsanitation still proving to be key health issues in Uganda, he says that his workis driven by his personal motivation to work in the sector and promote itsimportance.Since January 2001, prior to and during his CSC-funded course, Edward hasworked as a Project Officer Districts for the UNICEF Uganda Country Office,working in areas such as water and environmental sanitation for primaryschools and communities, health and nutrition, reproductive health, malariacontrol, children and AIDS, and child protection.When insurgency broke out in north–east Uganda in 2003, he was reassignedto work on emergency interventions in the region. Approximately 400,000people sought refuge in Internally Displaced People’s camps (IDPs). IDPinhabitants faced a range of problems, such as scarcity of water, inadequatesanitation and hygiene facilities, and poor living conditions. One projectEdward worked on promoted education on hygiene amongst some 35,000women living in 7 IDP camps, which led to improvement in the health andsocial circumstances of these women.THE FLEXIBILITY OF A DISTANCE LEARNING COURSEEdward’s Commonwealth Scholarship award has enabled him to study for anMSc in Water and Environmental Management at the Loughborough UniversityWater, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC), 2003 - 2006.Without his scholarship Edward would have found it impossible to take such acourse in Uganda, as there is no similar part-time course available in the fieldof water and environmental management. It would also have proved difficult tofund the training that could provide the flexibility to cater for his trainingrequirements and the demands of his work schedule for UNICEF.Edward comments, “Working full-time and going to the UK for the samecourse would have meant taking leave without pay. I would probably haverun into financial difficulties. I would probably fail to maintain my childrenin school. The CSC Distance Learning programme enabled me to remainemployed and able to take care of my family, whilst studying at thesame time.”At the beginning of his course, Edward had concerns about combining workand family life with the demands of a distance learning course. Taking asystematic and organised approach to his family and working lives enabled himto structure his study programme satisfactorily. He says, “I had to prepare anddiscuss with my family and adhere to some kind of timetable for study.”Preparing a written flexi-time agreement with UNICEF enabled him to start hiswork an hour earlier each day. “Travelling an hour earlier than normal savedme being caught up in traffic jams, and I was able to reach home early and dosome reading.”Studying on his own also presented Edward with some challenges, despite thehigh quality of the teaching materials that were supplied to him. “I had to readsystematically and work a little bit harder. Some difficult sections of the modulenotes and chapters in accompanying materials would be read 10 times!”The inherent flexibilityof the course meantthat Edward found iteasy to study from home, Edward Bwengye-Kahororoand to fit it in around hisfull-time job. He foundthe wide choice of coursecontent enabled him to devise a tailored programme of study to suit hisspecific needs. “It allowed me to control the rate at which I studied, and toconcentrate on particular areas of interest. In other words, as a distancelearner with WEDC, I, the learner, wasin more control over what I learnt, and where and how I learnt it.”WORKING FOR UNICEFEdward has been nominated to participate in the UNICEF Eastern andsouthern Africa Region initiative known as “The Middle ManagementLeadership Development Programme 2006”, which aims to identify andprepare staff members with potential to replace those in more seniorleadership positions, such as Representatives and Senior Programme Officers,who will be retiring over the next 10 years. The process involves training inleadership/management skills. At the end of this training (in May 2007) there isscope for Edward to move to a more senior position with greater responsibility.He has found that his course has helped prepare him for the challenges of hiscurrent post, and future career. It has equipped him to work independently aswell as to lead teams in the planning and implementation of the managementand monitoring systems relating to all types of sanitation technologies (rangingfrom simple pit latrines to medium complex piped sanitation schemes). He hasalso been able to make a contribution to rainwater harvesting, negotiating aninclusion of “first flush assembly”, which enables the first rain water (possiblycarrying bird droppings, leaves, dust) to be washed away before the relativelycleaner water enters the water tank. This technique was quickly adopted by themanufacturers of plastic (HDPE) rain water tanks in Kampala.Edward has also found benefits in his work with multi-sectoral teams that areworking on environmental assessment – such as environmental impactassessment, strategic impact assessment, and integrated water resourcemanagement (flood control, wetland reservation etc.) He was able tocontribute to the chapter on environmental impact assessment when UNICEFand the Ugandan government were developing the country programme ofco-operation for 2006 - 2010, and has provided some input for the in-servicetraining for water development staff and professional extension workers in theUganda Management Institute, Kampala.A WIDER CONTRIBUTIONThe Distance Learning award has enabled Edward to make a widercontribution beyond his normal professional remit. “UNICEF, as part of UnitedNations, is cluster leader in water and environmental sanitation and thereforeexpected to advise central and lower local government, NGOs and otherpartners. I am therefore in a position to contribute to this cluster leadership.”He believes that the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s distancelearning scholarships are vital for professionals in the developing world.“There are people who cannot afford to meet the costs of training and suchscholarships can help. The scholarships enable one to get high quality trainingwhilst on the job.”December 2006 9

PROFESSIONAL NETWORKSAND EVENTSPOVERTY REDUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE SEMINARreduction. The Environmental Change seminar presentations touched on issuesof conservation, environmental management and eco-tourism. AdetounMustapha (Commonwealth PhD student in Environmental Epidemiology,Imperial College) closed the session by reporting back from her fieldwork tripto Nigeria to study the link between air pollution and respiratory complaintsamongst children.Participants at the Poverty Reduction and Environmental ChangeSeminar, July 2006The weekend of 28th - 30th July 2006 saw nearly 60 Commonwealth Scholarsattend the Poverty Reduction and Environmental Change seminar atCumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park. The Friday night keynote address,given by Commissioner Professor Tim Unwin, was entitled ‘No End to Poverty’;a critique of Jeffrey Sachs’ work of 2005, The End of Poverty.Many scholars presented their research to their peers, provoking livelydiscussion and debate. Abdullah Makame (Commonwealth Scholarship PhDstudent in Microfinance, University of Birmingham) and Juliana Siwale(Commonwealth Scholarship PhD student at the Business School, University ofDurham) spoke about microfinance in their respective countries of Tanzaniaand Zambia, emphasising that this is a key factor in the area of povertyClare Twelvetrees, International Relations Manager at the Environment Agency,described the organisation’s international programmes, particularly theinvolvement of Commonwealth Professional Fellows. There was input over theweekend from several other Commissioners, and an evening debate wherescholars put forward their manifestos for development strategy. This enabledsome timely feedback, following the recent publication of DFID’s White Paper,Making Governance Work for the Poor.MAKING UNIVERSITY RESEARCH WORK FOR THE POORA seminar held at the University of the West of England, Bristol over theweekend of 16th - 17th September 2006 sought to identify the barriers whichdeveloping universities face in transferring their knowledge to the benefit ofthe poorest elements in society. The event was hosted jointly by theAssociation of Commonwealth Universities, the Bristol Business School, theCommonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Economics and SocialResearch Council. Several Commonwealth scholars attended the weekend, andtwo Commissioners gave presentations. Professor David Johns spoke abouttechnology knowledge transfer partnerships, and Dr Monica Darnbrough talkedabout the economic importance of technology transfer.IN YOUR OWN WORDSKNOWLEDGE TRANSFER ATGRASS ROOTS LEVELDivakar Singh Yadav, a CommonwealthScholarship PhD student in Computer Science atthe University of Southampton, spoke at theKnowledge Transfer seminar about agricultureextension work at G B Pant University ofAgriculture and Technology, India.Following a disastrous Bengal Famine in 1943,and a shortfall in the supply of agricultureproducts due to an increasing population, foodsecurity was a paramount issue for the Indiangovernment in the early 1950s. One of thegovernment’s initiatives to achieve food selfsufficiencywas to establish state agricultureuniversities to generate skilled manpower inagriculture, research, and dissemination ofknowledge to the farmers. They played asignificant role during the green revolution in the70s, transforming a starved nation into anexporter of food grain. The G B Pant Universityof Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar,established in 1960, set an example ofknowledge transfer at grass roots level. Throughits agricultural extension work, it has successfullyreached farmers and enabled them to adapt tomodern agricultural practices.The agricultural extension work focussed oneducating the farmers and demonstrating newpractices at their place/village in their ownlanguage. After identification of the farmers’needs, the university has successfully transferredthe knowledge through agriculture sciencecentres, agriculture knowledge centres andfarmers’ fairs. Areas covered include agriculturalcrop issues, farm machinery, irrigation anddrainage, harvesting technology, veterinary care,plant pathology and soil testing. This model isstill very successful in the dissemination ofknowledge and in feeding back input from thefarmers to the scientists working in thelaboratory. With many developing countrieshaving huge populations living in rural areas, thesame model could be viable for the transfer ofknowledge and education to the masses,especially in ICT skills, health, environment andother issues specific to regions in thesecountries.Divakar said of the weekend: “I enjoyed varioustalks and group discussions…and got lots ofinformation on the models and practicesadopted by the universities in developingcountries for the dissemination of knowledge atthe grass roots level. I am sure informationgathered from participation in these seminarswill help when I return to India upon completionof my studies here.”10 Commonwealth Scholarships News

VICTORY TO THE COMMIES!COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARS XI VS RHODES SCHOLARS XI, OXFORD UNIVERSITY CLUB, 16TH JULY 2006Scholars needing a further 15 runs off the lastthree overs.Kim Farrant, an Australian MSc. scholar, wasbrilliantly caught first ball, and Adam Creighton,also of Australia and Oxford, followed soon after.The tension was building as Timothy Phakathi, aSouth African Sociologist studying at Green College,Oxford, made his way out to join his captain. It wasPhakathi’s first cricket match, and supporters of theCommonwealth side were disconcerted to see himreceiving coaching as he prepared to take strike.However, with the tension mounting, Phakathi gotenough bat on ball to score a run, and it was left toRahman to finish the job. Rahman, keeping coolwhile others melted with heat and nerves, hadplayed a captain’s innings of 45 not out; it wasfitting that he should strike a boundary to seal acherished victory.The victorious Commonwealth Scholars!Before the game, pristine new shirts werepresented to each member of the CommonwealthScholars’ team. However, within minutes of thematch starting it seemed that these shirts mightbe the most professional aspect of the ‘Commies’’performance. With the temperature in the 30sthere was nowhere for the fielders to hide, so itwas no surprise that the Rhodes scholars choseto bat.Despite some miserly swing bowling fromAustralian PhD scholar Peter Munro, the Rhodesopeners cruised passed 50, with Herman Swartlooking especially strong. However, Phil Killicoatmissed a straight ball and the CommonwealthScholars’ spirits were lifted; when Punniamoorthy‘Ravi’ Ravirajan bowled Swart soon after, therewas a sense that the fielding side could takecontrol. Ravi, an alumnus of the CSFP, completedhis PhD at Imperial College in 2004 and was inthe UK for a short fellowship at his old college.Unfortunately, Ravi’s bowling spell was evenshorter, as an injury to his shoulder meant hecould only complete two overs.This twist caused problems for the CommonwealthScholars, allowing John Good and David Wintertonto attack some less experienced bowling, and thegame once again ebbed in favour of the ‘Rhodies’.However, with captain Tanzil Rahman’s mantra –“get your body behind the ball!”- ringing in theirears, the ‘Commies’ fielded with huge commitmentthroughout. Rahman, a research scholar at Oxford,bowled 5 overs of accurate wrist-spin, and Munro’ssecond spell was an impressive display of reverseswing bowling.With Good dismissed by Munroe, and Wintertonretiring on passing 50, the Rhodes team finishedon 185 for three. A daunting target, which meantscoring at more than 7 runs per over, but theopening batsmen never let their opponentsdominate and kept the score moving well. WhenMunro was out, caught off Winterton for 13, thetotal had already passed 50 and a solid platformhad been laid.Vanderpump, who was assisted by someunconventional boundary fielding, soon retired andRavi was out cheaply. This briefly gave the initiativeto Rhodes, but it was once again seized back byRahman and Iqbal. Both men mixed sensible shotselection with aggressive hitting to compile ahealthy partnership, which was only ended whenIqbal was run out by a brilliant throw fromSolomon. When Martyn Moore was bowled by thesame scholar shortly after, the target of 186 stilllooked a long way off.Until, that is, Paul Bonnitcha proved thatAustralians do not know when they are beaten.Bonnitcha, studying Chemistry at Oxford, hadkept a relatively low profile in the match up tothis point, but he now stroked 5 crispboundaries in a vital cameo of 26. His dismissal,bowled by Good, left the CommonwealthDespite the closeness of the contest, the Corinthianspirit prevailed, and it was an event to savour forboth sets of scholars. Musings on ‘what might havebeen’ were shared over a welcome barbecue anddrinks at Linacre College, with certain participantsimmediately looking forward to next year’s fixture.Special thanks should go to the match umpires,Francis King and Andrew Bell, as well as all thosewho helped organise proceedings on and off thefield (particularly Tanzil, and Anna O’Flynn of theCSC Secretariat). As one scholar commented, “it wasa beautiful day for all of us”. Here’s to many more!Have you joined one of our ProfessionalNetworks yet? So far we have launched fivenetworks - to sign up simply go to the websiteaddress below (or follow the links onhttp://www.csfp-online.org) and enter youremail, your name and your award referencenumber and a password.AGRICULTURE/ RURAL DEVELOPMENT/VETERINARY - https://secure.acu.ac.uk/cgibin/mailman/listinfo/agricultureEDUCATION - https://secure.acu.ac.uk/cgibin/mailman/listinfo/educationENVIRONMENT- https://secure.acu.ac.uk/cgibin/mailman/listinfo/environmentGOVERNANCE, CIVIL SOCIETY ANDCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT -https://secure.acu.ac.uk/cgibin/mailman/listinfo/governanceHEALTH - https://secure.acu.ac.uk/cgibin/mailman/listinfo/publichealthDecember 2006 11

ABOUT THE CSFP…The Commonwealth Scholarship and FellowshipPlan is one of the oldest and most prestigiousschemes of its kind in the world. It was establishedat the first Conference of Commonwealth EducationMinisters in 1959. Since, over 24,000 individualshave held awards, hosted by over twenty countries.From the outset, the United Kingdom has been thelargest single contributor, and over half of theawards have been held here. CSFP awards in theUnited Kingdom are managed by theCommonwealth Scholarship Commission, a publicbody established by Act of Parliament. Twogovernment departments fund the Commission; theDepartment for International Development, whichsupports awards to developing Commonwealthcountries, and the Foreign and CommonwealthOffice, which supports awards to the remainder ofthe Commonwealth.Day to day administration of the Commission ishandled by its secretariat, which is based at TheAssociation of Commonwealth Universities. TheBritish Council handles welfare and financialadministration, and provides pre-departure advicethrough its local offices.At present, the Commission offers six discrete typesof award:• General Scholarships• Academic Staff Scholarships• Academic Fellowships• Split-Site Scholarships• Professional Fellowships• Distance Learning ScholarshipsWe hope that you have enjoyed this edition ofCommonwealth Scholarships News. If you haveany comments or views on the magazine, or youhave a suggestion for a future article (indeed youmay be interested in writing one yourself!) pleaseget in touch with the Editorial Team at:Commonwealth Scholarships NewsCommonwealth Scholarships Commission in theUnited Kingdomc/o The Association of Commonwealth UniversitiesWoburn House20 – 24 Tavistock SquareLondonWC1H 9HFUKFurther details of current provision and selectionprocedures can be found on the UK section of theCSFP web site: http://www.csfp-online.org