Commonwealth Professional Fellowships 2009, UK

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in 2009 will once again be providing funds for UK organisations to host visits from mid career professionals from the developing Commonwealth whose work is critical to the development of their home country. This will be the eighth year that the Scheme has operated with around sixty five awards now being offered each year to a variety of organisations including NGOs, professional membership bodies, local authorities, charities and voluntary organisations, as well as organisations within the central government and private sectors.

Commonwealth Professional Fellowships support programmes of professional development designed to have a catalytic effect in developing skills that will subsequently be applied in a developing Commonwealth country. Funding will be provided for programmes of typically three months duration, although requests for funding for shorter or longer programmes of up to six months will be considered in exceptional circumstances. Applications are being sought for programmes providing professional development opportunities to individuals in the broadly defined fields of education, engineering/science/technology, environment, governance, public health and agriculture/fisheries/forestry (this one is new for 2009).

Applicants should be capable of devising a coherent and relevant programme and of identifying suitable recipients through existing organisational networks. Fellowships cover the full cost of travel to the UK, living expenses, some UK travel and other approved short course and conference expenses and a contribution to host organisation costs.

The closing date for applications is 30 April 2009. Further details including our Prospectus and Application Form are available from the Commission’s website at: http://www.cscuk.org.uk/apply/professional_fellowships.asp or from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, c/o The Association of Commonwealth Universities, Woburn House, 20 – 24 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HF, UK, tel: 020 7380 6749, fax: 020 7387 2655, email: professional.fellowships@cscuk.org.uk

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission is responsible for Britain’s contribution to the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan. Its work is supported through grants from the Department for International Development and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.