46th Annual Report - Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in ...

Adding value: making the most of scholarshipsFor many award holders, their time spent on Commonwealth Scholarships represents a lifetime opportunity.It is important that they make the most of this – both by enhancing the specific skills that they cameto the UK to develop, and by gaining broader experiences that will increase effectiveness in later life.ZURAIDAH MOHD DONconducted her Fellowshipat the University ofLancaster in 2003. She iscurrently employed as aprofessor at the Universityof Malaya, and has sincecollaborated with theUniversity of Lancaster inthe development of acomputer model of Malay,known as MALAX, whichis playing a significant rolein Malaysia’s developmentplan, with a view toincluding language in theMalaysian profile ofknowledge basedindustries.THE NEXT GENERATIONThe Commission endeavours to help this processby taking a broader view of its impact oninstitutional capacity and development.This involvesboth academic placement and monitoring (describedelsewhere in this report), but also a range of wideractivities, aimed at encouraging networking, facilitatingskills transfer and discussion amongst awardholders, establishing contact between award holdersand alumni and providing study travel opportunities,which can be used to attend relevant conferencesand disseminate findings.Allocating funds for such activity requires a balancebetween ensuring that award holders make the bestuse of their time in the UK, and recognition thatexpenditure on extra-curricular activity is inevitablyat the expense of the total number of scholarships.At a time when UK universities are increasing theirown provision for postgraduate students, there isalso a need to focus on areas where the Commissioncan genuinely add value, rather than duplicatingactivities available elsewhere.Welcome to the UK!Award holders are spread at over 100 institutionsaround the UK, so opportunities to meet as a groupare limited. Each November, however, the Commissioninvites all new Commonwealth Scholars andFellows to its annual Welcome Programme in London.The event allows award holders to meet each other,award administrators from the ACU and BritishCouncil, and the Commission members who selectedthem. There are also opportunities to engage indebate on key issues for development, internationalaffairs and the Commonwealth, and to hear highlevel speakers – who in recent years have includedMinisters, the Commonwealth Secretary-General andVice-Chancellors. The programme concludes with anevening reception hosted by the Foreign andCommonwealth Office at which award holders cannetwork with a wider group, including High Commissionersfrom their home countries, politicians, academicsand representatives of Commonwealth professionalorganisations. The aim is to provide, in thewords of one 2004 scholar “some real networkingopportunities” in “a relaxed atmosphere”.Feedback suggests that the benefits of holding suchan event are many, and comments are taken onboard for future events.Providing opportunities within the UKThe Commission has also hosted a series of eventsaimed at enhancing specific key skills. A total of 142scholars participated in the 2004 programme ofevents which included subjects such as Leadership,Team-building, Accessing Research Funding andWorking with the Media. Of those who completedfeedback forms following the events, almost 90%rated them as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ in respect ofrelevance to their future careers.Following comments from former scholars theCommission also introduced a new type of event in2004, inviting scholars and fellows within broadlydefined disciplines such as Education, Governanceand Public Health. These events tie in with the alumninetworks reported on pages 12-13 and proved verypopular with more planned for 2005/6. Participantswere able to present their research to their peersand discuss issues of relevance in an interdisciplinary,yet relevant, context. This proved very effective,as one PhD scholar pointed out “You know youreally understand your research when you have toexplain it to someone else”, especially when thatsomeone else has a background in a differentdiscipline. Almost all those attending the eventshave joined the relevant Alumni Network and manycommented positively on the experience, not onlyfor reinforcing their ‘Commonwealth identity’ andproviding a forum for discussion but also in providingan opportunity to meet others from around theCommonwealth.Other events are organised by scholars andfellows themselves. July 2005 saw the third annualCommonwealth XI v Rhodes XI Cricket match atOxford, attended by Commission staff, scholars andin some cases their families – and the first victory forthe Commonwealth team – many of whom had nevermet, let alone played together, before the day inquestion. A welcome break from study for which8 Commonwealth Scholarship Commission