This year's Welcome Programme for the 2005 intake of Scholars and Fellows to the UK under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan was held in London at Central Hall Westminster on Monday 14 November 2005. A full programme, which included group meetings and themed seminars, culminated in a keynote speech by Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development. An evening reception, hosted by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, followed. This included a warm welcome to the UK from The Rt. Hon. Donald McKinnon, Commonwealth Secretary-General, and Ms Philippa Drew, Director Global Issues, FCO.

To see photographs of participants from each country, click here.

Check back on this section soon as we will be adding the seminar papers, along with summary notes, for each of the afternoon sessions.

The Researchers Alliance for Development (RAD) is an informal, action oriented and multidisciplinary network of researchers supported by the World Bank. Its objective is to contribute to innovative responses to poverty and development challenges by strengthening interaction between researchers worldwide and the World Bank.

• Dissemination of research to the European and global academic community & the World Bank
• Tailored Compact Seminars on key issues in development and specific World Bank policies
• Networking opportunities eg with parliamentarians through the global Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB)
• Tailored information on grants and research funding offered by the World Bank and other donors
• Presentations by World Bank staff at the events of your institute

Membership: RAD membership is open to all university departments, research centres and networks, think tanks and foundations that work with international development - regardless of academic discipline.

Karen Stockin, a UK scholar studying for a PhD at Massey University, New Zealand, organised an international workshop on common dolphins, held in Sweden during the annual conference of the European Cetacean Society (ECS) 2004, the proceedings of which have just been published.

The workshop brought together managers and researchers from different disciplines to discuss and review scientific research and issues facing European common dolphins. It was the first time the ECS had held a workshop on this species, and was deemed a great success. Massey University (Institute of Natural Resources) supported the initiative by providing Karen with a travel grant for the conference.

Karen said, "As a Commonwealth Scholar, this is another example of how my work here in New Zealand on common dolphins has also benefited common dolphin research in the UK and Europe."

The Maltese Government has offered its first Commonwealth Scholarship to Mr Oris Sullivan, who will be registering for a Masters in Human Rights and Democratisation in November at the University of Malta.

Mr Sullivan graduated from the University of Central England in 2002 with an LLB (Honours) Upper Second Class Honours. He then attended the BPP Law School in 2002-2003 and graduated with a Post Graduate Diploma in Vocational Studies. Previously, from 1986 to 1999, Mr Sullivan had attended numerous overseas training courses in the Caribbean, Canada, USA and the UK during his tenure on the Royal Montserrat Police Force. He presently works at the Attorney General's Chambers prosecuting matters and defending claims against Public Officers.

Dr Zuraidah Mohd Don, a Commonwealth Fellow at Lancaster University (2003 - 04), has been invited to take part in a national research initiative in speech and language technology (MIMOS), set up by the Malaysian government.

During her time as a Fellow at Lancaster University, Dr Zuraidah worked on MALEX, a project to make a systematic study of the Malay language. Dr Gerry Knowles, her co-researcher at Lancaster, subsequently collaborated with her further on the project in Malaysia.

Dr Zuraidah has expressed her thanks to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and Lancaster University for enabling her initial research, as this was instrumental in her being invited to take part in the MIMOS project.

Commonwealth Scholar Mr Seth Dankyi Boateng from Ghana, who is pursuing a PhD programme at the University of Reading in the UK, has had a research paper published in the International Journal of Entrepreneurship, Volume 8, 2004.

The paper, entitled Entrepreneurship within traditional and contemporary development contexts: A contribution towards development interventions, aims to establish the place of entrepreneurship within the context of development paradigms and highlights the need to incorporate entrepreneurship processes to optimise the results of development strategies.

Those interested in viewing this paper are advised to contact the Executive Director of Allied Academies at info@alliedacademies.org.

After presenting his paper entitled Assessment and comparison of microbial quality of drinking water in Chikwawa, Malawi at the 8th Annual National Graduate/Post Graduate Research Conference in Belfast, Ireland on 12 May 2005, Commonwealth Scholar Mr George Jabu was awarded first prize.

Mr Jabu, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Malawi, has been in Glasgow, UK on a CSC PhD scholarship at the University of Strathclyde.

The CSC would like to congratulate Mr Jabu for his achievement. A summary of his paper is available here.

We are pleased to announce that one of our current Commonwealth Scholars, Ms Khatia Munguambe, has won a Research Studentship grant from the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health (www.rsph.org). The Society's selection committee was impressed by Ms Munguambes work within the field of Public Health in Mozambique and granted the studentship in recognition of her promising start to a career in the field. The Society's Queen Elizabeth Medal for outstanding contributions to Public Health was awarded to Professor K Srinath Reddy for his contribution over a long career. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission would like to hear from any alumni or scholars who might like to nominate an outstanding or inspiring colleague or mentor for future awards. Please contact publichealth_admin@cscuk.ac.uk

Commonwealth Scholar, Allison Perry, has published a paper from her MSc dissertation research in the journal Science.

The paper, entitled 'Climate Change and Distribution Shifts in Marine Fishes', was published online in Science Express on 13 May. It will be available in the print version shortly. The study examined long-term changes in the distribution of bottom-dwelling fishes in the North Sea in relation to warming, and found that nearly 2/3 of species had shifted their distributions with warming, and most of these shifts were northwards.

A scholar from Canada, Ms Perry has been studying at the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation at the University of East Anglia.

Please visit the Science website for more information.

The fourth professional network for alumni and current award-holders of the CSFP was launched on 1 May 2005. The first issue of the e-newsletter compiled by the Environment Agency in the UK was sent to approximately 150 network members who had signed up by that date. The Professional Networks Programme is a major part of our long-term strategy to maintain contact and promote networking. The first three networks in public health, education and governance, civil society and community development were launched in November 2004. Signing up to the network simply involves visiting the network website and entering your email and award reference number if you know this.

To access other networks, please visit our alumni page. The next e-newsletter will be sent on 1 August 2005.

From January to April 2005, the League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers (LECT) provided a three-month educational leadership programme for six Commonwealth Professional Fellows from Jamaica, Lesotho, Kenya, South Africa, Mauritius and Anguilla. The programme aims to develop leadership skills and encourage the exchange of skills and experience with UK colleagues. This year Fellows were hosted by schools and local education authorities (LEAs) in Gloucester, Edinburgh, and the London Borough of Hackney. Activities in LEAs and schools were tailored to the specific interests and professional development needs of each of the Fellows.

Mrs Senoelo Nkhase-Leloka said of her first months experience in an English School in Gloucester: "The more I see the more I want to see. There are several ways in which what I have learnt will increase the opportunities for children in Lesothos schools".

On 7 April, LECT held a reception at the Commonwealth Secretariat to celebrate the end of a successful fellowship programme and thank the many organisations that were involved. Guests included delegates of several High Commissions, representatives from the Commonwealth Secretariat, various International Education Officers, Head teachers of the schools visited by Fellows, as well as Fellows host families and friends. Angela Pienaar, a South African Fellow, treated the guests to a spontaneous performance of traditional African dance.

For more information about LECTs programmes, please visit their website.

The accomplishments of Dr Catherine Muthuri exemplify the success of CSCs split-site scholarship scheme. In 2004, she earned her PhD at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), having spent a year of study at the University of Nottingham. Dr Muthuri was recently appointed the Chairperson of the Botany Department at JKUAT. Her work on agroforestry systems, which she produced during her award, has been published in the journal of Land Use and Water Resources Research, and has been accepted for publication in Forest Ecology and Management.

The first group of students studying for Commonwealth Scholarships by distance learning at Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan, have recently been in London for an intensive period of study at the Institute of Education.

The mixed mode form of study, through which students experience a short period in the United Kingdom as part of their work, is an experiment for the Commission. According to the course leader, Dr Anil Khamis, it has been a success. All of the students have now completed their modules, and made a start of their final dissertation, he reports. It is expected that all 20 will complete their work by January 2006, within two years of registration.

The students, who are working towards a Masters degree in Education and International Development, come from a variety of backgrounds in Karachi itself, as well as Northern Pakistan and India. Most will be in a position to apply their qualification directly in a teaching environment.

The outstanding impact of the CSFP on academic life was demonstrated on 8 April at a dinner for former Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows in the Trivandrum area of Kerala, India. Amongst those present was former Commonwealth Fellow Dr Jancy James, whose recent appointment as Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University represents the first female appointment at this level in the entire Kerala region. The event was organised by Dr Oommen V Oommen, Head of the Zoology Department at the University of Kerala.

Also present was former Fellow Professor Kottilil Mohandas, who earlier in the day had launched a new national initiative for gender mainstreaming in the medical curriculum, and earlier in the week hosted the Council meeting of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, of which he is Chair. Professor Mohandas is currently Director of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, based in Kerala.

Commonwealth Fellow, Dr Taslima Monsoor, Associate Professor of the Department of Law and former Dean in the Faculty of Law at Dhaka University has published a book entitled Judiciary and Gender on Trial: Reported and Unreported Decisions of the Family Courts. The publication is the outcome of research under a judicial exchange project on family law in Muslim countries, supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and managed by the British Council Bangladesh.

The book examines whether women in Bangladesh stand to benefit from judicial activism. The British High Commissioner to Bangladesh will hold an official book launch on 7 May 2005, during the Judicial Colloquium for Justice to Women, arranged by the British Council and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, in association with the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit and the Academic Council on the United Nations System organised a workshop on the subject of 'Governance' in London on 12-14th March 2005. The event opened with a reception to launch the CSC governance network on the Saturday evening with sessions beginning on Sunday 13th March. 30 current Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows studying at institutions all over the UK attended alongside students and staff from the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, the Commission and other organisations. In addition, thanks to a grant from the Commonwealth Foundation we were able to invite CSC alumni to apply for a grant to attend. Dr Valda Henry from Dominica was selected and participated actively in the workshop, giving a presentation. Other presenters included speakers from UNDP, the Royal Geographical Society, the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit and of couse Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows. Participants were also given the opportunity to attend the Commonwealth Day Obsevance at Westminster Abbey on Monday 14 March. For more information on the governance and other alumni networks, including how to join, please go to http://www.csfp-online.org/alumni/

The first Public Health seminar for Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows, attended by 29 Commonwealth Scholars and 2 Commonwealth Fellows as well as members of the Commission and ACU staff, was held at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor on 21-23 January 2005. The event began with a keynote speech from the Director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Professor Sir Andy Haines. The theme of Professor Haines speech, 'Can the UN Millennium Development Goals be attained?, was taken up by the participants themselves throughout the weekend, culminating in group discussions relating to two key issues; the need for a considered approach to the distribution of aid and the challenges presented by the need for behavioural change at all levels of society. Several participants also presented the results of their research, on issues as diverse as mental health in adolescents, environmental health and maternal nutrition. (A full list is given below).

The panel session, on Saturday afternoon saw a lively debate as new Commonwealth PhD scholars took on the role of Ministers of Health and laid out their manifestos, with the assistance of Commission Chair, Professor Trudy Harpham, playing the role of the WHO Director-General. On a more serious note, the four scholars then outlined their own planned research and what they hoped to achieve on completing their studies. The event was felt by all Commission staff, and feedback suggests, by all the participants to have been a valuable exercise, one we would hope to repeat, both in the field of public health and in other areas. If any network members are considering hosting or organising a similar event whether in the UK or overseas please let us know.

Research Results presented included the following;

• 'Mental Health Strategy in Tanzania' (Dr Scholastica Ndonde, Commonwealth Fellow from Tanzania, Kings College London),
• 'Environmental Health Issues in Mozambique' (Khatia Munguambe, Commonwealth Scholar from Mozambique, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)
• 'District health boards and referral hospitals: an economic analysis of contracting in Zambias health sector' (Jolly Kamwanga, Commonwealth Scholar from Zambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)
• 'The role of Mitochondrial Proteins in Maternal Nutrition' (David Yakubu, Commonwealth Scholar from Nigeria, University. of Nottingham).

Former Commonwealth Fellow, Dr Yogambikai Rasanayagam, was awarded an Honorary Degree D.Litt (Honoris Causa) on 5 January from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

She has recently retired from her post as Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the university. A Professor of geography, Dr Rasanayagams fellowship brought her to the University of Cambridge in 1982, where she studied industrial and urban development.