1TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE • COUNTRY PROFILE – INDIA • NEWS ROUND-UP

SCHOLARS' NEWS • ALUMNI IN ACTION • 2008 SELECTIONS

NEWSIssue 6

May 2008Promoting learning, development and co-operation

A hard-headed approachto the challenges ofsustainable development

2 Commonwealth Scholarships News

Commonwealth Scholarships News(formerly Omnes)Editorial Team:Dr John Kirkland, Jocelyn Law, Anna O’Flynn and Natasha LokhunDesign: John KirbyPrint: dsi colourworks

Commonwealth Scholarships News is published threetimes a year by the Commonwealth ScholarshipCommission in the United Kingdom.

Commonwealth Scholarship Commissionc/o The Association of Commonwealth UniversitiesWoburn House, 20–24 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9HF, UK

comments@cscuk.org.ukwww.cscuk.org.uk

© Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom

Commonwealth Scholarships News is published for information purposes only and no liability is accepted for its contents by the CSC

or by any contributor to it. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the information contained therein was correct at

the time of compilation, it should not be regarded as definitive and no responsibility is accepted for the inclusion or omission of any

particular item. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the CSC.

Cover Ruth Lugwisha (left),Commonwealth Professional Fellow at theEnvironment Agency, examines landfillliner used in modern landfills in the UK.

2 Editorial

3 News round-upThe latest from the CommonwealthScholarship Commission.

4-5 Scholars’ newsNews, views and events of our currentscholars.

6-7 Tackling climate changearound the CommonwealthHow Commonwealth Scholars are workingto combat the effects of global warming.

8 Alumni in actionAn update on the activities of ouralumni.

9 Alumni profileProfessor I M Dharmadasa, formerCommonwealth Scholar from Sri Lankaand solar energy expert.

10 Professional networks and eventsThe environment and governance in theCommonwealth.

A snapshot in timeA look at Commonwealth Scholars in the1960s.

11 Country profile – IndiaA closer look at the CommonwealthScholarship and Fellowship Plan inoperation internationally

The London International Development Centre(LIDC) opened in April 2008, and brings togetherexpertise from six colleges of the University of

London (Birkbeck College, Institute of Education, LondonSchool of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, RoyalVeterinary College, School of Oriental and African Studiesand School of Pharmacy) with development partners toaddress key challenges in international development.

While LIDC has a broad brief, it has taken an early andspecific interest in postgraduate teaching fordevelopment. Current and former CommonwealthScholars are already active and effective in addressingissues of sustainable development, as demonstrated inthis issue of Commonwealth Scholarships News. LIDCaims to better integrate and direct at development goalsits wide range of taught and distance courses in the field.It will place early emphasis on distance learning becauseof its special potential in international development andcapacity building.

In April, LIDC organised with the University of London External Programme a conference on distance learningfor development, or DL4D. Sharing experience across disciplines and degrees revealed several opportunities.For instance, there is a growing consensus to make course materials ‘open source’ and free to all, without aloss of quality or necessary income to providers. Quality of courses may be improved by blended learning(mixing distance and short, taught elements) or by linking students with each other and with tutors throughthe internet or mobile phones. Even science subjects such as molecular biology, which you might think wouldrequire laboratory-based teaching, can be delivered by distance, making use of computer graphics. Offeringunits as short courses for skill-based training, to which can be added further units to obtain a degree, willbenefit both providers and students. It was striking to see how often innovation in distance learning could betraced to investment by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in new initiatives!

DL4D also faces many challenges. Too many courses today are supply- rather than demand-driven, and thestudent voice is too rarely heard in course design. Many distance teaching partnerships are more ‘transmissive’than truly collaborative. Particularly good partnerships can be built on the back of existing researchcollaborations. The digital divide between north and south is narrowing only slowly, and distance learningmust not plan to be wholly internet-based very soon – rather, it should plan on delivering training throughthe range of media appropriate to different local situations. Corporate degree sponsorship has enormouspotential but is under-developed. LIDC will use these lessons to build a vision for DL4D, one that involvesgreater flexibility and integration of subjects, learning methods and technologies to enhance education.

Professor Jeff Waage OBEDirector, London International Development Centrewww.lidc.org.uk

EDITORIALTHIS ISSUE

Professor Jeff Waage at the LIDC launch in

April 2008

May 2008 3

NEWS ROUND-UP

NewCommissionersWe are delighted to announce the appointment ofsix new Commissioners:Dr Mark Collins, Director, Commonwealth FoundationProfessor Mark Cleary, Vice-Chancellor, University of BradfordProfessor Christine Humfrey, Special Professor in International Higher Education,University of NottinghamDr Nyovani Madise, Reader in Social Statistics, University of SouthamptonDr Rosemary Stevenson, former Head, DFID South East AsiaDr Jonathan Wastling, Reader in Infection Biology, University of Liverpool

2008 SELECTIONSThe Commission has now made selections for the2008/2009 academic year. 389 candidates havebeen selected in total so far:

256 DFID-funded Commonwealth Scholarships,including General, Split-site and Academic StaffScholarships.

68 FCO-funded Commonwealth Scholarships,awarded to students from developedCommonwealth countries.

65 Commonwealth Fellowships, awarded touniversity staff from developing countries.

Selections for Professional Fellowships and DistanceLearning Scholarships will be made in the nextfew months.

50TH ANNIVERSARY LOGOSome of our readers might have noticed our newlogo on our website and other CSC materials. Thenew design is to mark the 50th anniversary of theCommonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan,which falls in 2009. There will be a programme ofevents to celebrate the anniversary on aCommonwealth-wide basis, and you will be able tofind out more in our next issue of CommonwealthScholarships News and on our website,www.cscuk.org.uk

COMMONWEALTH DAYOn Monday 10 March 2008, CommonwealthScholars and Fellows were amongst those fromCommonwealth nations who joined together atWestminster Abbey for the thirty-firstCommonwealth Day observance. Attended by HMThe Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, themultifaith service summoned the dignity and wisdomof people in the Commonwealth to develop acommitment to reverse the trends of climate change.

A central focus of the ceremony was to collectivelymake six affirmations, including statements of theunique worth and dignity of every person and ofrespect for all living creatures. Finally, in keeping withthe theme of the ceremony, all affirmed recognitionthat environmental degradation, including climatechange, poses a grave threat to humanity and that itis each person’s responsibility to work now and in thefuture to create a sustainable world.

NEW AWARDS ADMINISTRATORWe a r e de l i gh t ed to we l come F ionaGroenhou t t o t heC o m m o n w e a l t hScholarship Commission’ssecretariat as an AwardsAdministrator. Fiona tookup her post in March2007, having completedher PhD in history at theUniversity of WesternAustralia last year

INTERFAITH RELATIONS EVENTThe Commission held an event at CumberlandLodge in April for current Commonwealth Scholarsand Fellows to discuss the important topic ofinterfaith relations. The opening sessionintroduced the philosophy behind interfaithdialogue. Keynote speakers Professor ModjtabaSadria, from the Institute for the Study of MuslimCivilisations, and Revd Guy Wilkinson, the Churchof England’s Inter Faith Relations Adviser,examined why interreligious engagement isnecessary and explored how it can be achieved.Attendees were asked to consider whether adialogue can occur, given the diversity within

faiths, and to question the agenda of the languageinvolved.

On Saturday, the debate was broadened into legaland public policy issues. Maleiha Malik, fromKing’s College London, discussed the UKgovernment’s attempts to manage Muslims andIslam in Britain, highlighting postcolonial legaciesand the developing self-identification of groups inBritain along religious as well as ethnic lines. DrAdam Dinham, Director of the Faiths and CivilSociety Unit, later introduced the UK government’scurrent policy perspective, exploring thecontradiction between faiths as a site of resourcesand faiths as the greatest threat to security. Hesuggested ways the policy could be improved,touching on the integrationism versusmulticulturalism debate.

FRIENDS OF THE COMMONWEALTHFriends of the Commonwealth is a new initiative forpeople who share an interest in Commonwealth-related issues and who want to do something aboutthem. Friends can express their own views andexchange them online with others. They can searchfor international development jobs and internships.They can offer their services as mentors, advisers orsimply as ‘Friends’ to those seeking information oradvice around the Commonwealth. They canvolunteer and attend specific Friends events. Andthey can build their own networks and contactsthrough Friends.

If you have thoughts and views aboutCommonwealth issues and events, have skills andexperience to offer or want to support our work,Friends of the Commonwealth will give you lots ofinteresting ways to do so.

Becoming a Friend couldn’t be easier. Simply visitwww.commonwealthfoundation.com/friends andregister for the regular Friends e-update newsletter.It’s free and open to everyone.

Fiona Groenhout,new Awards Administrator

A session at the CSC interfaith event, April 2008

ince 2002, the CSC has offered over 30Professional Fellowships to candidatesnominated by the Environment Agency,

giving mid-career environment officers indeveloping countries the opportunity to gainrelevant skills and build links with organisationsin the UK.

Ruth Lugwisha, a Senior EnvironmentalManagement Officer at the National EnvironmentManagement Council in Tanzania, was based at theEnvironment Agency from September-November2007. During this time, she was able to acquirepractical skills which have resulted in several benefitsfor her home country. ‘As a result of this programme,my professional capabilities, skills and knowledge ofenvironmental compliance and enforcement havebeen enhanced. I have enhanced my knowledge ofregulatory frameworks for effective compliance andenforcement; developing and implementingenvironmental compliance and enforcementsystems; tools and mechanisms; and operatinginstitutional arrangements for effective and efficientcollaboration and cooperation among actors. Otherissues are waste management (wastewater and solid

waste); investigation and inspections for compliancegathering and admissible evidence; negotiationskills; conflict resolution and management andhandling and managing complaints and incidences,as well as emergency preparedness.’

Peter Odhengo, a Principal Compliance Officer atthe National Environment Management Agency inKenya, was also based at the Environment Agencytowards the end of 2007. During his Fellowship,Peter was able to meet several objectives, such asdeveloping an understanding of how to harness thesynergies of various stakeholders in environmentalmanagement, learning techniques for identifyingpolluting elements, and understandingenvironmental monitoring and incidentmanagement procedures.

Michelle Brockley, International RelationsCoordinator at the Environment Agency, feels thatthe Fellowships have been a success and also a two-way process, enabling both Fellows and hosts toexchange knowledge and experience. ‘TheEnvironment Agency is delighted to be continuingits support of the Commonwealth ProfessionalFellowship programme. We are continuing to buildupon the success of our previous participation as ahost organisation. The experience has beenmutually beneficial. With decades of experience, theEnvironment Agency has been able to transfer itsvast experience in environmental managementpractices directly to the visiting Fellows and has hadthe opportunity to learn from the Fellows about thechallenges they face in our sister organisations indeveloping countries.’

While many awards in the fields of environmentand sustainable development are held in the UK,the Commission has also supported around 1,000Distance Learning Scholars since 2002, in linewith DFID's commitment to exploring newmethods of delivery. Staffordshire University'sMA in Sustainable Development is one suchcourse supported by the CSC. Delivered as a part-time course in online distance learning mode, it iswide-reaching in its scope and access, and allowsstudents from over 20 countries to developadvanced knowledge, skills and understanding invital fields of study for the 21st century.

Dr Louise Bonner, Award Leader of the MA inSustainable Development, feels that the issue ofsustainability is one which must be addressed. ‘Fromthe global through to the local level, the challenge ofsustainability is modifying political, economic, socialand environmental agendas. Sustainability has

become a central framework for government policy,organisational practice and community action todayand there is a growing need for people who haveinsights into the complex issues involved.’

Dr Bonner feels that Staffordshire University’sdistance learning course is enabling many studentsaround the Commonwealth to develop theseinsights in an informative, flexible and interactiveway. ‘Following a carefully structured set of onlinemodules, students are encouraged to examine newstrategies, evaluation and monitoring techniquesand approaches to participation, education andpolicymaking, and to use case studies to analysebest practice for sustainability around the world. Thedistinctive format of this MA allows students to study

4 Commonwealth Scholarships News

Ruth LugwishaCommonwealth Professional Fellow from Tanzania,

participating in river sampling activities

Peter OdhengoCommonwealth Professional Fellow from Kenya,

carrying out water sampling activities at a

wastewater treatment facility

SCHOLARS’ NEWSThe environment and sustainable development are issues at the centre of debates about the success ofinternational development. In recent years, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission has shown itscommitment to these issues by supporting programmes which have focussed on a wide range of areas,including environmental protection and preservation, ecology, water and waste management andbroader aspects of sustainability.

S

May 2008 5

at home while working full-time, so students fromIndia and Indian Ocean states such as the Maldivesand Seychelles are able to study the MA whileworking in various government departments, NGOsand private companies.’

One of these students is Piyali Sengupta, an IndianScholar who is confident that the MA will help in herfuture career. ‘After successful completion of my BScin Physics, I wished to study energy management.Realising that sustainable development is a basicpart of environmental problems, I undertook thisMA to bridge my knowledge gaps. StaffordshireUniversity is giving me the opportunity to extendmy knowledge of different sustainability issuesfurther and to pursue research in this area. Beingborn and brought up in a large urban city likeKolkata, I have become a victim of sustainabilityissues myself. Fast developing urban areas havealarmingly diminishing air and water quality and Ipassionately believe that this needs to be managedeffectively. Also, learning in a cross-culturalenvironment is helping me develop the skills towork effectively within a global team while being

tolerant to different cultures. On a long-term basis,all the invaluable experience I have gathered herewill act as building blocks in designing innovative,useful, high-quality, profitable and environment-friendly solutions for global issues, withoutcompromising social acceptance and culturalviability.’

For Mohamed Shumais, a resident of the Maldives,a small island state, the opportunity to study acourse via distance learning has been hugelybeneficial. ‘Ever since I majored in Economics andInternet Studies at undergraduate level in SouthAfrica, I have believed that internet technologywould be a valuable tool for promoting education.In the Maldives, providing quality higher educationvia conventional means is a challenge because ofthe vast number of islands and scattered nature ofthe small population in the archipelago. Though theMaldives does not have a university, taking a coursefrom a reputed British university by e-learning isamazing because e-learning transcends time andspace. The course made me realise the valuableeducational resources that are available online and

the future prospects for research and educationaldevelopment. As an e-learning student, I am able toapply what I have learned right away at work andalso reflect back on my written tasks that wereassessed in the course. In 2007, while working as aProject Coordinator to develop a national wastemanagement policy in the Maldives, I was involvedin coordinating public consultations at variouslevels ranging from senior government officials tograssroots community representatives. In thisprocess, I was able to appreciate the importance ofpublic involvement for promoting equity, which isone of the principles of sustainable development.’

Although many of the students undertake the MAvia distance learning, Dr Bonner explains that ‘someof the students who are awarded a CommonwealthScholarship are able to spend a semester atStaffordshire University, where they can “fast-track”their studies, interact with other students and tutorsand gain an insight into ways of approachingsustainability in the UK. Of course, these studentsalso bring many of their own ideas and experiencesto the UK, enriching the views and lives of everyonethey meet here!’

Jibok Chatterjee, from India, is one such Scholarand has found the experience invaluable. ‘The bestpart of the course has been the 12 weeks of intenseacademic study wherein I became abreast with thesustainability issues of the developed world. These12 weeks not only removed the faceless interactionswith professors but also revealed that sustainabilityis as important in the developed world as it is indeveloping world. The professors were like mirrorsreflecting my ideas with more thoughts and insights.The knowledge of the course has helped me bothprofessionally and personally to develop as anindividual in a sustainable community. These 12weeks have had a deep impact and taught me asingle aspect: that we need to make more and morepeople aware of sustainable development and thebest starting points are young children and studentswho are tomorrow’s future political, social andbusiness leaders. We need to start to speak about itmore in every forum. Sustainability is the key tohappy and healthy individuals and society, andmore discussion will enable every individual tothink how their act contributes to better society anda better world for today and tomorrow.’

Dr Hamish Main (right), from Staffordshire University, at an introductory MA Sustainable Development

workshop at Jadavpur University, India

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6 Commonwealth Scholarships News

PROTECTING SRI LANKA’S AGRICULTURALECONOMYIroja Caldera is aCommonwealth Split-siteScholar working on a PhDin Environmental Science(University of Sheffieldand University ofColombo). Iroja’s work isconcerned with theeffects of global warmingon tea production in SriLanka. Environmentalfactors such astemperature and carbondioxide concentrationaffect the productivity ofthe plant. So, future climate change could affect thequality of tea and indeed tea production as a whole.Sri Lanka is the world’s second largest exporter ofblack tea and the third largest tea producer. The teaindustry has a significant socio-economic impact onthe country. It is the highest earning agriculturalexport and also provides employment to a largenumber of people as tea is a labour-intensiveplantation crop.

Iroja hopes that her work will contribute to a betterunderstanding of how tea plants may respond to

climate change. This may facilitate thedevelopment of adaptation measures to helplessen possible negative impacts on tea cultivationdue to environmental change. As a lecturerattached to the University of Colombo, Iroja hopesthat her experience as a researcher will lead toinvolvement in capacity building activities in herhome country.

THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING ONOUR OCEANSDr Graham Hughes (Commonwealth Scholar, PhDin Geophysics, University of Cambridge, 1991-1994) is currently a Fellow in the Geophysical FluidDynamics Group at the Australian NationalUniversity. His research examines the impact ofclimate change on oceans. Oceans transport a vastamount of heat, so understanding changes to theearth’s climate necessitates understanding oceancirculation.

The circulation of oceans is forced by windsblowing over the sea surface and fluxes of heat andwater through the sea surface. Surface waters gainheat at lower latitudes and lose heat at highlatitudes. Of particular significance for climateprocesses is the ‘overturning’ component of thecirculation that allows the bulk of the ocean, belowthe surface, to exchange heat with the atmosphere.

Global warming is likely to increase the supply offreshwater to high latitudes. This effect, and warmeraverage surface conditions, will reduce high-latitudedense water formation, leading to a slowing of theoverturning circulation. This is expected to lead to acooler northern hemisphere, the extreme scenariofollowing a (rapid) shutdown of the circulation beingpopularised in the Hollywood movie ‘The Day AfterTomorrow’!

Graham’s research has concentrated on thecirculation supported by surface fluxes of heat andwater, addressing questions such as how thecirculation is modified when these fluxes change.Results thus far show that the circulation is extremelysensitive to changes in the surface fluxes. Theimplications for earth’s climate can be assessed withthe help of numerical coupled ocean-atmospheremodels.

TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGEAROUND THE COMMONWEALTHClimate change is the hot topic of the moment, and many of our Commonwealth Scholarsand alumni are studying or working in areas that examine its impact. Commonwealthcountries will be among those most affected by increases in global temperature and theconsequences, and so our award holders’ work is of the utmost relevance both to theirhome country and worldwide.

Iroja CalderaCommonwealth

Alumnus from

Sri Lanka

A weakened overturning ocean circulation is

expected to lead to a cooler northern hemisphere

May 2008 7

THE POTENTIAL OF RENEWABLE ENERGYThe Australian government has committed toincreasing the supply of renewable electricity to 20%by 2020, in response to the challenge posed byclimate change. Australia has traditionally relied oncoal for electricity, making up around 70% of supply.

This potentially large increase in renewable energywill place new pressures on the transmission grid.Recognising this, the Ministerial Council on Energy isinvestigating the barriers to integrating thisrenewable energy into the electricity market. AntaraMascarenhas (Commonwealth Scholar, MPhil inModern Society and Global Transformations,University of Cambridge, 2002-2003) is now anassistant manager in the federal government. She isleading this project, working with industry and statecounterparts. As Australia’s transmission grid wasconstructed around existing coal resources, there willbe issues around the connection of remoterenewable generation to the grid. Many wind andpotential geothermal (hot-rock) resources arelocated remotely from the grid.

Antara was a visiting researcher at the MassachusettsInstitute of Technology (MIT) in July-August 2007,representing the Australian government. She led acomparison of the Australian electricity market withthat of two American markets (the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland and New England markets) todetermine how these markets attract newinvestment in electricity generation.

Antara feels that her studies provided her withsome of the necessary skills to carry out hercurrent work. ‘The electricity sector is a real-worldapplication of the academic work I carried out atCambridge on how governments and theeconomy interact.’

SOLAR-POWERED LIGHTING PROJECTS INMALAWIThomas Senganimalunje (CommonwealthScholar, MSc in Medical Physics, University ofLeeds, 2004-2005) is now Head of the PhysicsDepartment at Chancellor College, University ofMalawi. He is working on a project to design andinstall solar lighting in rural secondary schools, acollaboration between the Physics Departments ofthe University of Malawi and Malaspina UniversityCollege in Canada.

The LED lighting systems consist of three basiccomponents: LED-light desk lamps, rechargeablebattery power packs, and a solar panel for eachclassroom. The system is envisaged for eveningstudy of 3-hour periods. The final goal is to designa system that will be cost effective relative to thecurrent costs incurred in the use of kerosene.

A prototype of such a system providing lightingfor six students has already been tested at MsalaCommunity Day Secondary School in 2007. Thefull classroom system for 40 students is beingmanufactured and will be installed in May 2008 at

the same school. The cost of the full system is lessthan USD 1,000, and the break-even point is ataround three years.

The use of the LED system will improve theteaching and learning environment of thestudents through provision of clean and reliablelighting. There will be a reduction of indoorpollution from the kerosene, whilst the lightingcosts will be lower.

PRESERVING MALTA’S HERITAGEThe impact of climate change on the world’scultural properties is an area of growing concern.Malta has one of the highest densities ofUNESCO World Heritage Sites, and importantmonuments include the Megalithic Temples ofMalta, a series of buildings that are over 5,000years old. These are amongst the earlieststructures in the world to achieve a high level ofarchitectural sophistication, and climate changeposes a serious threat for such sites. The templesare built in sedimentary limestone, and are veryvulnerable to erosion by the elements, sustainingsevere damage over the past century. Climatechange may contribute to an aggravation ofthese conservation problems. A major threat tothe sites is prolonged and intense rainfall, whichhas previously led to the collapse of sections ofthe megalithic walls. If precipitation becomesmore intense, this will have a direct effect on theconservation of the monuments.

Dr Reuben Grima (Commonwealth Scholar, PhDin Archaeological Site Management, Institute ofArchaeology, University College London, 2000-2003) is a Senior Curator of Prehistoric Sites atHeritage Malta, the national agency responsiblefor managing museums and archaeological sites.He is currently leading a project, funded by theEuropean Commission, to install protectiveshelters over two of the temple sites. This is partof an intensive environmental monitoringprogramme, in collaboration with Italy’s Institutefor Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC).

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, CLIMATECHANGE AND THE ECOHEALTH FRAMEWORKGlobal ecological integrity and sustainabledevelopment are increasingly salient issues for thepublic health community, and it is commonly

recognised that humanhealth is enhancedwithin socially andecologically intactenvironments.

Maya Gislason is aC o m m o n w e a l t hScholar from Canada,studying for a DPhil inthe Sociology of Healthand Illness at theUniversity of Sussex. Asa medical sociologist,

her doctoral research explores how the effects ofclimate change are constructed and contested ashealth determinants within new public health policyand practice initiatives. Her research is premised onthe EcoHealth observation that neoclassicaleconomic approaches to sustainable developmentdo not sufficiently promote practices that sustain theearth’s life support systems.

The urgency of climate change may inspire thedevelopment of effective transnationalenvironmental public health policies and healthycommunities and cities in which people work toproduce local and global ecological and social healthand wellbeing. Practices such as buying local organicfood, using sustainable modes of transportation andrecycling are all concrete actions that individuals cantake. Concretely, through these simple localisedactivities the overall anthropogenic stress on theplanet is reduced and conceptually ideas aboutsustainable development and health are re-imagined.Understanding the links between globalenvironmental change and human health riskscreates a unique opportunity for people to create anew paradigm where meeting human goals involvesmaintaining the integrity of our life support systems.

The entrance to the Mnajdra temple, one of the Megalithic Temples of Malta

Maya GislasonCommonwealth Scholar

from Canada

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8 Commonwealth Scholarships News

ALUMNI IN ACTIONAlumni NewsALUMNUS APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF THEBANK OF CANADA

Mark Carney (Commonwealth Scholar, DPhil inEconomics, University of Oxford, 1991-1994) took upthe post of Governor of the Central Bank of Canadaon 1 February 2008. Mark received his bachelor’sdegree in economics from Harvard University in 1988,and then started work at the investment bankGoldman Sachs before taking up his CommonwealthScholarship at Oxford. Mark went onto becomeManaging Director at Goldman Sachs before joiningthe Bank of Canada as Deputy Governor in 2003. In2004, he became Senior Associate Deputy Minister ofFinance, and also served as Canada’s Finance Deputyat the G7, G20 and the Financial Stability Forum.

Mark says of his new role, ‘It is an honour and aprivilege to have been chosen to serve Canadians asthe eighth Governor of the Bank of Canada. I amparticularly looking forward to leading the bank’stalented and dedicated staff as we face the challengesof the years ahead.’

KNIGHTHOOD FOR DISTINGUISHEDPAEDIATRICIAN ALUMNUSDr Albert Cecil Graham (Commonwealth Scholar inMedicine, 1961-1962) received a knighthood in theNew Year’s Honours list for services to medicine andpaediatric medicine in Barbados. He worked at theQueen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados for over thirtyyears, and took a special interest in children withdisabilities during his career.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE RESEARCHPROJECTDr Vijay Janyani (Commonwealth Scholar, PhD inElectrical and Electronic Engineering, University ofNottingham, 2002-2005) is part of a research teamthat has recently been awarded a UKIERI (UK India

Education and ResearchInitiative) Major Award, for acollaborative research projecton micro-structured opticalfibres and applications. Theproject involves five UKuniversities and two Indiancolleges, including Dr Janyani’shome institution, MalaviyaNational Institute ofTechnology, Jaipur (MNITJaipur). The research focuseson the exploitation of theenormous potential of

photonic crystal fibre for a wide range of potentiallynovel applications underpinning multi-billion poundindustry.

In BriefRECENT PUBLICATIONSDr Rangaswamy Vedavalli (Commonwealth Scholar,PG Diploma in Economics, School of Oriental andAfrican Studies, 1973-1975) is a former PrincipalEconomist and Manager of Energy Operations of theWorld Bank and former Director of Energy FacilitationProgram of the World Energy Council. At the WorldBank, she worked in several countries in Asia, Africa,Latin America and the Middle East managing oil andgas power in various energy efficiency projects.

Dr Vedavalli’s recent book Energy for Developmentprovides comparative case studies of countriesundergoing the energy reform process, evaluating thereform experience and identifying the challenges atthe national and global level which these developingcountries face.

Dr M A Samad (Commonwealth Fellow, Departmentof Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, 1989-1990) is currently Professor and Head of theDepartment of Medicine at the BangladeshAgricultural University. He has recently published atwo-volume professional textbook AnimalHusbandr y and Ve te r ina r y Sc i ence , acomprehensive book for veterinary undergraduateand postgraduate students and also a valuable easy-to-use reference book for practitioners.

AWARDS AND CAREER ANNOUNCEMENTSDr Abdullah Al Faruque (Commonwealth Scholar,PhD in Energy Law, University of Dundee, 2002-2006) has been promoted to Associate Professorand Chair of the Department of Law at the Universityof Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Dr Ridwanul Hoque (Commonwealth Scholar, PhDin Law, School of Oriental and African Studies, 2003-

2007) has recently been promoted to AssociateProfessor in the Department of Law at the Universityof Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Naadir Junaid (Commonwealth Scholar, MA inContemporary Cinema Cultures, King’s CollegeLondon, 2003-2004) has been awarded a 2008Endeavour Postgraduate Award to study a PhD inAustralia. Naadir will be working on Bengali politicalcinema at the School of History and Philosophy,University of New South Wales, starting in July 2008.Naadir is currently an Assistant Professor in theDepartment of Mass Communication andJournalism at the University of Dhaka.

Dr Busnur Manjunatha (Commonwealth Fellow,School of Environmental Sciences, University of EastAnglia, 2005-2006) is presently working as a Readerin the Department of Marine Geology at MangaloreUniversity, India. He was awarded an HonourableMention in the CSA Sociological Abstracts DiscoveryPrize 2007. The prize was for his work ‘ContinuingClimate Curse on Africa Needs Greater HumanitarianAssistance’.

Professor M S Mookiah (Commonwealth AcademicStaff Scholar, MSc in Town Planning, CardiffUniversity 1976-1979) has recently been appointedHead of the Department of Geography at theUniversity of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and is alsocurrently serving as one the nine Commissioners ofthe Public Service Commission (appointed by thePresident of Sri Lanka).

Dr Vijay Janyaniformer

Commonwealth

Scholar from India

Mark Carneyformer Commonwealth Scholar

and the new Governor of the

Bank of Canada

Keep in touchPlease keep us informed of your news, such assignificant research, new senior appointment,major publication or national honour or award.We also welcome feedback on any aspect of thispublication. You can get in touch by emailingcomments@cscuk.org.uk or you can write to:

Jocelyn LawAlumni Development OfficerCommonwealth Scholarship Commission in theUnited Kingdomc/o The Association of CommonwealthUniversitiesWoburn House, 20-24 Tavistock Square,London WC1H 9HF, UK

We appreciate all your feedback andcontributions, although it may not always bepossible for us to include all your news, due tothe amount of space available on these pages.

Professor I M Dharmadasa(Dharme) was a CommonwealthScholar at the University of Durhamin 1977, studying for a PhD in SolidState Electronics.

Dharme started his academic careeras a probationary assistant lecturer inphysics at the University ofPeradeniya, Sri Lanka, but he neededto complete a postgraduate degree tosecure a full lecturer position. With noresearch facilities in physics availablein Sri Lanka at that time, Dharme hadto look for postgraduate opportunitiesoutside the country, and applied for aCommonwealth Scholarship. He feelsthat he was ‘fortunate to win aScholarship through a verycompetitive selection process’.

NEW SKILLS AND INTERESTSDharme believes that his awarddeveloped his networking ability aswell as his academic interests. ‘Thescholarship gave me an excellentopportunity to develop academic, social andnetworking skills. Academic work carried out withsupervision by the late Sir Professor Gareth Robertsand Professor Mike Petty gave me a kick start toenter into the electronic materials and devices fieldand solar energy conversion.’

Solar energy research has indeed gone onto formthe major focus of Dharme’s career. Solar energyhas the potential to give countries greaterindependence in energy supplies, as well asproviding a clean energy source that does not harmthe environment. Access to reliable electricitysupplies is also of pivotal importance in thedeveloping world. As a result of worldwide researchon photovoltaic solar energy conversion, large areasolar panels made with silicon are more readilyavailable but expensive. Researchers are working toproduce alternative low-cost and high-efficiencysolar panels based on other suitable materials.Greater production and increased demand due tothe development of more diverse applications willalso help reduce costs.

Dharme estimates that the greatest impact will be

from the use of solar energy in smaller-scale waterpumping and drip irrigation systems. ‘With millionsof people struggling to find clean water for drinking,freely available sunlight can be utilised to increasewater supplies and drastically improve their standardof living.’ Clean water is vital for food production andsmall business requirements and so also facilitateseconomic development in these communities.

There are many other applications made possibleby this new technology. Solar-powered homelighting systems, hot water systems, computers inremote schools, refrigeration, air conditioning ofbuildings, remote health centres, lanterns, icecream carts, telephone booths, and sewingmachines are to name just a few. While most ofthese small and standalone systems haveimmediate applications in developing countries,grid-connected solar roofs and large-scale powerstations are also emerging in developed countries.

CAREER WITH AN INTERNATIONAL FOCUSAfter completing his award, Dharme returned to hisuniversity in Sri Lanka but, after four years as alecturer, his research interests in solar energy

brought him back to the UK. After postsat University College Cardiff (nowCardiff University) and BP Research,Sunbury, he now works at SheffieldHallam University (SHU) as Professor ofElectronic Materials and Devices.Dharme currently leads the solarenergy group within the Materials andEngineering Research Institute at SHU.He has published widely and securedsix new patents, while working withindustrial partners on solar celldevelopment and pioneering researchin this field.

Although Dharme is primarily based inthe UK, the nature of his work meansthat his career definitely has aninternational dimension. ‘I have kept veryclose links with my native country and,after coordinating higher education linkswith several Sri Lankan universities forover ten years, helped form the SouthAsia Renewable Energy Programme(SAREP).’

SAREP is a renewable energy programme jointlyinitiated by the Commonwealth Science Council, theApplied Physics Division, School of Science andMathematics, Sheffield Hallam University, the BritishCouncil and in-country counterparts to promote andaccelerate the use of renewable energy technologies.

SAREP trains young scientists in renewabletechnology through postgraduate programmes andraises awareness of renewable energy applicationsamongst entrepreneurs and policymakers. It alsoenables entrepreneurs in Asia to develop trade andinvestment relations with partners in other parts ofthe world.

The work of SAREP has spread to many othercountries outside the South Asia region. To continuethis, the Solar Habitat Programme has beendesigned to develop the use of clean energytechnologies in rural communities. Dharme takesgreat pride in this work, as it contributes to theMillennium Development Goals. ‘My wish is to workwith a large number of previous CommonwealthScholars and other learned communities to helpneedy people around the globe.’

May 2008 9

ALUMNI PROFILEThe Commission’s aim is for Scholars’ studies to benefit their home country or institution. Sometimes, due to a lack of available research facilities, this purpose is best served by our alumni continuing to workoverseas. The subject of our profile this issue now works in the UK, but his research on solar energy hasbeen of benefit to his native Sri Lanka as well as many other countries around the world.

With millions of people struggling to find clean water for drinking, freely available sunlight can be utilised

to drastically improve their standard of living.Professor I M Dharmadasa

Professor I M Dharmadasa (second from right) with one of his solar

panels and members of his research team at SHU

10 Commonwealth Scholarships News

he CSC held its fourth annual GovernanceNetwork conference at the Institute ofCommonwealth Studies on 8-10 March 2008.

Co-organised and run by the Commonwealth PolicyStudies Unit (CPSU), the event brought together 30current award holders from a diverse range ofacademic backgrounds to discuss this year’s theme: theenvironment and governance in the Commonwealth.

Attendees were welcomed by Homera Cheemafrom the CPSU, who opened the first session entitled‘Environmental governance: who does what?’ The first speaker, Dr Vasannt Jogoo from theCommonwealth Secretariat, gave an overview ofhow the Commonwealth facilitates environmentalprogress within the larger climate change debate.Some Scholars were also given the opportunity toshowcase their current research, contributing ideasmore closely linked with the policy issuessurrounding environmental challenges.

The final session gave attendees the opportunity tosummarise what they had gained from the

conference and propose how they might act on theirnewly acquired knowledge. Participants identified aneed to establish an exact relationship betweengovernance and the environment and to developadequate governance structures to facilitatereduction in environmental degradation. Localprojects were proposed and suggestions to sharecontacts and engage with established organisationswere put forward.

In closing, the CPSU put forward the idea ofproducing a collection of forward-looking essays.Attendees were invited to contribute to this publication, which aims to offer amultidisciplinary approach to environmental issues.Alongside this, the importance of the CSC’sGovernance and Environment Networks washighlighted as a means of making globalconnections and providing forums to further debatevital issues regarding the environment’s future.

Allan Mugisha – Commonwealth Scholar, MScPetroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University“This was one of the few conferences where Ihave seen people speak so passionately aboutprotecting the environment and this, for me, is achallenge to disseminate the knowledge gainedto as many people as I interact with. Protection ofthe environment is every person’s responsibility.The participants were not only knowledgeablebut are actively involved in the war againstclimate change. I cannot overemphasise the needfor these conferences.”

THE ENVIRONMENT AND GOVERNANCE IN THECOMMONWEALTH

he 1960s was an iconic decade, and also atime when the face of the Commonwealth waschanging, as many countries became

independent states. It seems appropriate that thisdecade of gathering momentum and idealismshould also mark the birth of a new internationalawards programme – the CommonwealthScholarship and Fellowship Programme (CSFP).

In 1959, Commonwealth Education Ministers agreedthat the training of colonial-born academics toresearch and teach in domestic universities wouldempower new states in the process of independence.The CSFP objectives reflected many of the values ofthe time. The plan was to be based on mutualcooperation, be flexible to take account of the diverseand changing needs of Commonwealth countries, beavailable to both men and women, and promote thehighest standards of intellectual achievement.

The first intake of Scholars was in 1960. Over thenext ten years, UK institutions would host more than1987 Commonwealth Scholars, of which 191 werefemale, from over 47 countries. Similarly, non-UKinstitutions hosted over 1690 Scholars whooriginated from and travelled to a wide range ofCommonwealth states.

These Scholars left their own legacy. A ZimbabweanScholar, Sir Michael Berridge, conducted

pioneering work in the relatively new field of cellsignalling to go on to win the prestigious Shaw Prizein Life Science and Medicine. William ValentineHerbert, a 1960 Scholar from St Kitts and Nevis,became a constitutional advisor, ambassador, andeventually permanent representative to the UnitedNations on behalf of his country. Canadian ScholarDr Thomas John (Jock) Murray conductedimportant work in the field of neurology, foundedthe Dalhousie Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit, andwas honoured with the Order of Canada as well asadmittance into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.Nigerian Grace Nenna Nzeribe, another 1960Scholar, became the Principal/Deputy Chief/ChiefNursing Officer in the Nigerian Ministry of Health foreight years. Australian Scholar Germaine Greerwent on to become an important contributor to thefields of broadcasting and writing.

While there are many stories of success andachievement from the 1960s’ cohort, theseScholars also experienced many challenges thatextended far beyond the realm of academia. Sexualand ethnic discrimination had a direct impact onScholars’ day-to-day living. Some Scholars describewith disappointment harassment by CaucasianBritish people.

Despite the challenges of the time, the exchange ofideas and experiences led to the formation of

important relationships for the Scholars in terms ofprofessional links and personal networks.Recognition of the intellectual talent and creativity ofindividuals, rather than foreign stereotypes, led tothe acclamation of Scholars from a wide spectrum ofnationalities and colours. As we look back at theevolution of the CSFP, the 1960s marked a healthyand enthusiastic start to a fifty-year legacy.

Suzanne Lawrence is the George Curtis MemorialCommonwealth Fellow, and is part of a researchteam based at the Von Hügel Institute, St Edmund’sCollege, University of Cambridge, currently workingon the CSFP’s history, to be published for its 50thanniversary in 2009. The history will document thedevelopment of the Plan and its changes over a halfcentury, examining its significance in terms of bothits contribution to society, particularly highereducation, and its place in the changingCommonwealth. The project is being led andauthored by Dr Hilary Perraton, Deputy Chair of theCSC, whose career involves extensive experience ininternational education.

A SNAPSHOT IN TIME: COMMONWEALTHSCHOLARS IN THE 1960s

Attendees at the Governance Network conference,

March 2008

Do you have an interesting story about yourexperience as a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship holder? Contact Suzanne Lawrence, CSFP Researcher, atsal57@cam.ac.uk for more details.

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May 2008 11

In this issue’s country profile,Professor Surinder S Jodhka andDhruv Raina, from the SociologyDepartment at Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, look at the impact ofthe CSFP in India.

he first batch of 54 Commonwealth Scholarsand Fellows left India in 1960 – 36 went to theUK, 14 to Canada, 2 to Australia and 2 to New

Zealand. India was one of the first countries toactively participate in the CommonwealthScholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP). Over theyears, the number of Scholars destined for the UKhas remained steady, and the number of Scholarsopting for Canada, Australia and New Zealand hasincreased gradually.

Between 1960 and 2002, the flow of students fromIndia was consistent and a total of 3304 Scholars andFellows travelled to pursue higher studies inCommonwealth countries under the Plan, of which81% went to the UK, 15% to Canada, 2% to Australiaand 1% to New Zealand. A very small number ofIndian Scholars chose other Commonwealthcountries to pursue their studies or professionaltraining. India has also been an important hostcountry for Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows. Atotal of 672 Scholars and Fellows pursued theirhigher studies in India between 1960 and 2002. Thelargest number of them came from Mauritius (109),followed by the UK (86) and Sri Lanka (66).

WHO WERE THEY AND HOW DID THEY GETSELECTED?In India, two agencies coordinate the selectionprocess for the CSFP: the Ministry of HumanResource Development (MHRD) and the UniversityGrants Commission (UGC). Over the last eight to tenyears, the MHRD has received more than 3000applications annually for some 60 nominations tothe UK alone. The Scholarship and Fellowshipapplications sent to the UGC are routed through theuniversities where the applicants are employed. Thisaccounts for an average of 350-400 applicationsannually to the UGC for 90-95 nominations.

An email survey of 106 CSFP alumni carried outduring April-August 2007 provided interestinginformation. Most (85%) of the formerCommonwealth Scholars and Fellows wereemployed full-time at the time of selection. In termsof their religious backgrounds, the alumnirepresented the overall diversity of the Indianpopulation. However, the percentage representation

of Muslims was far belowtheir proportion in theIndian populat ion.Similarly, the caste break-up reflected a substantialpresence of the upper andmiddle caste groups.

Predictably, most alumni(84%) had middle- andupper-class backgrounds.Only 3% of therespondents describedtheir family background asp o o r / w o r k i n g - c l a s s .Similarly, in terms ofgender profile, 82% of the former award holderswere male. However, the average age of the womenrespondents was lower than their male counterparts– half of them were below 30 at the time of theiraward, in contrast to only a third of the male awardholders in a similar category. Gender differences alsoappeared in the disciplinary orientation of thealumni. 50% of female respondents pursuedscience, technology and medicine, while theproportion of men in the same categories was muchlarger (79%). The representation of women in thesocial sciences and humanities was higher.

MOTIVATIONS AND REWARDSThe most obvious motivation for applying for aCommonwealth Scholarship is to enhance one’scareer options. A doctoral degree, postdoctoralresearch or training in the developed world isvalued by Indian universities and otherprofessional organisations. In addition, the tenure

abroad augments the social capital of anacademic. As one of the respondents put it, thestint abroad added to ‘one’s stature in thecommunity, socially and professionally. Evenwhen there were no immediate promotions, itfound mention in all the official documents’.Furthermore, 67.9% of the respondents felt thatthe experience improved their ‘professional skillsin terms of teaching and research’, while as manyrespondents felt that they used the ‘new skills toalter the way they organised their research andteaching’. Although some award holders facedresentment amongst colleagues at their homeinstitution, the benefits far outweighed anydifficulties encountered.

The authors are grateful for the support of theCommonwealth Trust, Dr Hilary Perraton andDr Jonathan Jenkins during their research onthe CSFP.

Indian Scholars preparing to take a group photo

at the 2005 CSC Welcome Day

Himalayan glaciers

COUNTRY PROFILE – INDIA

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ABOUT THE CSFP…The Commonwealth Scholarship and FellowshipPlan (CSFP) is one of the oldest and mostprestigious schemes of its kind in the world. It wasestablished at the first Conference ofCommonwealth Education Ministers in 1959. Since,over 24,000 individuals have held awards, hosted byover twenty countries.

From the outset, the United Kingdom has been thelargest single contributor, and over half of theawards have been held here. CSFP awards in theUnited Kingdom are managed by theCommonwealth Scholarship Commission, a publicbody established by Act of Parliament. Twogovernment departments fund the Commission: theDepartment for International Development, whichsupports awards to developing Commonwealthcountries, and the Foreign and CommonwealthOffice, which supports awards to the remainder ofthe Commonwealth.

Day-to-day administration of the Commission ishandled by its secretariat, which is based at theAssociation of Commonwealth Universities. TheBritish Council handles welfare and financialadministration, and provides pre-departure advicethrough its local offices.

At present, the Commission offers four discretetypes of award:

• Commonwealth Scholarships• Commonwealth Academic Fellowships• Commonwealth Professional Fellowships• Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships

Further details of current provision and selectionprocedures can be found on the CSC website atwww.cscuk.org.uk

We hope that you have enjoyed this edition of CommonwealthScholarships News. If you have any feedback, or you have asuggestion for a future article (indeed you may be interested inwriting one yourself!) please get in touch with the Editorial Team at:

comments@cscuk.org.uk

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