The CSC is pleased to announce the launch of the new regional networks of Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows!
The regional networks aim to facilitate more frequent contact between award holders based in the same university or region while they are studying in the UK. The networks will encourage students to meet more regularly and will hopefully help award holders to settle into their new environments and build lifelong friendships with other Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows.
Activities will vary by region, but will include social events, buddy schemes, sporting activities and research presentations. The Regional Coordinators themselves will take the lead, but they welcome any input from current Scholars and Fellows about how they would like their networks to develop. Get to know your local representative by checking out their profile below and do get in touch with your ideas!
Scotland
North West
North East
Northern Ireland
Wales
Midlands and Oxford
South West
London, the South East and Cambridge
Please contact Selina Hannaford if you would like to volunteer as a Regional Coordinator.
Regional Coordinator: Liapeng Matsau – mizmatsau@yahoo.com
Liapeng (pronounced Dee-ya-peng) Matsau is from South Africa but grew up in Lesotho, a small landlocked mountain kingdom in Southern Africa. She is currently studying for her PhD in Sociology at the University of Edinburgh.
Liapeng has currently planned the following activities for the Scotland network:
- Development seminar – Scholars presenting MSc and PhD research, with a focus on how their research contributes to development issues in their home countries or to the wider development discourse
- Tennis/football/chess team for regional competitions
- Orienteering or some other team-building and group activity
She is, of course, open to more suggestions!
Regional Coordinator: Samuel Atintono – atintono@yahoo.com
Samuel Atintono is a Commonwealth Scholar from Ghana, currently in his second year of his PhD in Linguistics in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures at the University of Manchester. Before coming to the UK, he was an academic staff member of the University of Education, Winneba.
Samuel has proposed the following activities for 2009/2010, but these are subject to modification with input from Scholars and Fellows in the North West region.
- Xmas/New Year North West Commonwealth Scholars’ social evening
- Meeting with university representatives
- ‘Getting to know each other’ face-to-face/networking session with other Commonwealth Scholars in the region
- Scholars face-to-face monthly forum, aimed at sharing ideas/thoughts on our academic and social life
- Knowing the Commonwealth – talk by a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner
- Cultural activities
- Sporting activities, e.g. football, cricket, tennis competition
- Academic seminar – invitation to a renowned professor to give an insight into their research or academic/professional career
NORTH WEST NEW YEAR'S SOCIAL EVENT
Many thanks to those who attended the recent meeting in Manchester on 15 January. As you can see from the photographs, a great time was had by all! Please check back for details of the forthcoming monthly meeting, which will be held in February in Liverpool.
Regional Coordinator: Olalekan Adekola – lekola1@yahoo.com
Olalekan Adekola is a Commonwealth Scholar from Nigeria, and is in the second year of his PhD at the School of Geography, University of Leeds. He is an Assistant Lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Yola. Broadly, his research interest explores the link between ecosystem services and human wellbeing.
Olalekan hopes that the North East network can organise an informal Christmas or New Year party, where Scholars and Fellows can wear national dress and share national dishes. If and when there is an inter-region football competition, he is sure that the North East will come top!
NORTH EAST MEETING, 19 APRIL 2010, 1 PM
There will be a gathering for Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows at the University of Bradford on 19 April 2010 at 1pm, in the Peace Studies common room.
Regional Coordinator: Peninah Ngoda – pngoda01@qub.ac.uk
Peninah Ngoda is a second-year PhD student in Food Safety and Toxicology at Queen’s University, Belfast. She is also on the management board of ACSONI (Afro-Community Support Organisation of Northern Ireland), and is the Public Relations Officer of the Kenyan Association in Northern Ireland. Before her Scholarship, she worked as an Assistant Lecturer at Egerton University, Kenya.
Peninah has planned the following activities for the Northern Ireland network:
- A get-together (venue TBA) for a meal or coffee, to get to know each other
- Indoor ice-skating this December
Regional Coordinator: Michael Danquah – danqua2@yahoo.com
Michael Danquah is from Ghana, and is a PhD Scholar in Economics at Swansea University. Before coming to Swansea, Michael worked as a development policy analyst at the National Development Planning Commission in Ghana.
Michael’s main aim for the Wales network is to create opportunities for Scholars and Fellows to come together, develop personal contact, and establish genuine friendships. Upcoming activities include:
- Christmas Ball – the first social meeting, to get to know each other. Michael will circulate details soon
- Sports – amongst the Wales network and possibly with other regional networks
- Tours and visits to interesting places in Wales and beyond!
Michael feels that the network crucially depends upon the active participation of Scholars and Fellows in Wales, and would appreciate ideas and suggestions on how to make the network effective and fruitful.
Regional Coordinator: Alexandra Murray – alexandra.murray@psy.ox.ac.uk
Alexandra Murray is originally from Northern New South Wales, Australia, and is in the second year of her DPhil in Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford.
Alexandra believes that it is important to provide Scholars in the Midlands and Oxford region with opportunities to meet on both social and academic levels. It is the perfect avenue to form friendships with people from diverse backgrounds and study interests from all over the Commonwealth. In addition, what is common to all Scholars and Fellows is the fact that they are all visitors to the UK. She agrees with the suggestions of an inter-regional sporting tournament and a series of academic seminars by fellow Scholars and Fellows, but she is eager to get feedback and more ideas from everyone in the Midlands and Oxford region!
Regional Coordinator: Olanrewaju Olagunju – olagunjulanre@yahoo.com
Olanrewaju Olagunju is a Nigerian Commonwealth Scholar, studying MSc Aquatic Biology and Resource Management at the University of Exeter.
Olanrewaju believes that Commonwealth Scholars can gain both academic and social benefits from coming together. He has proposed holding a get-together by Easter, in Bristol, where there will be an opportunity for Scholars to interact and share ideas on their projects. As the meeting will include Scholars on both taught and research programmes, all stand to benefit from a diverse wealth of experience. Meanwhile, Olanrewaju hopes that the South West Scholars will communicate online more, for ease of contact. He believes that the strength of the network depends largely on active participation from fellow Scholars, and welcomes suggestions on how to make the network successful.
The South West network also has a Facebook page.
SOUTH WEST MEETING - 1 APRIL 2010
 The South West Scholars gathering at the University of Bristol on Thursday 1 April 2010 was successful. The university hosted the meeting and provided the room and catering. A member of staff from the Graduate School of Education introduced the event and the School, and told Scholars more about studying in the UK. All attendees benefited from his experience and each others' as they shared their 'Commonwealth experience'.
Scholars at the University of Plymouth, University of Exeter and University of Bristol came to the event. They were also able to find out how Commonwealth Scholarships operate in different countries, such as Tanzania, Cameroon and Nigeria.
Since the meeting, the attendees have been keeping in touch with one another – an interaction that should extend beyond their study here in UK. Feedback has been encouraging, and the Regional Coordinator hopes to organise another event soon.
Pictures of the meeting are available on the South West Scholars Facebook page.
Regional Coordinator: Mohammad Nazmuzzaman Bhuian – nzemon@yahoo.com
Mohammad Nazmuzzaman Bhuian is a Commonwealth Scholar from Bangladesh, in the second year of his PhD in Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.
Mohammad is arranging a meeting of university representatives in December (maybe over Christmas dinner) to discuss organising a cricket or football match for the region. To ensure an active network, he is planning to organise formal and informal social gatherings, ranging from academic seminars to cultural programmes and competitions, and also sports. He looks forward to Scholars and Fellows in the region sharing their ideas and suggestions for networking.
The following Commonwealth Scholars have volunteered to be University Representatives for the South East network:
Please provide the University Reps with your email addresses so that they may build a strong network of Scholars within their institutions. Mohammad would also like to ask for volunteers for University Reps from other institutions, especially London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of Reading, University of East Anglia, and Cranfield University (because of the high number of Scholars in these institutions).
SOUTH EAST MEET AND GREET EVENT – 18 MARCH 2010
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