From Issue 44, Winter 2002/03

Meet The Chevening Scholars

ONE British project that is enjoying popularity in the South Pacific is the Chevening Scholarship scheme. This is a flagship scholarship award of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in response to the Prime Minister’s directive three years ago.  The FCO finds the money and allocates it to regions, but the British Council runs the scheme and helps find placements for nominated scholars.

Nominations come from the British diplomatic missions in the Pacific which, depending on likely demand and the amount of time available, may advertise and interview selected applicants. The FCO operates a Pacific “pool of funds” and tries to share out the scholarship numbers among the Island states.

Generally, the smaller countries can nominate about two scholars for each calendar year. These are usually for one-year academic courses running from October to July.  Preference is usually given to training mature people already employed in the public sector with the aim of providing them with the further training needed to advance their careers.

This year Solomon Islander Moses Mose, aged 39, read for an MA in public policy and management.  Other students included Dr Bernadette Pushpaanjali, 27, a lecturer at the Fiji School of Medicine (studying for an MSc in dental public health at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health Care in London); Odo Tevi, 28, from Vanuatu (Master’s degree in economics at Sussex University); Emi Chutaro, 26, from the Marshall Islands (Master’s degree in social policy and planning at the London School of Economics), and John Matui, 26, from PNG (Master’s degree in law at the University of London).