SIX Pacific Islanders from Tonga, Fiji and Tuvalu were awarded Chevening scholarships at the farewell lunch held at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Suva on Wednesday.
British Acting High Commissioner Dave Jones said the session was a great opportunity for new scholars to learn and listen to the experiences of scholars who had experienced and completed their studies abroad.
Chevening scholarship gives opportunities for scholars to pursue their Masters programs in the UK for a year. One of this year’s recipient, Sharon Biribo, who was accepted in the Learning School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says she hopes to come back with the skills to help develop her field of study and be able to have better evidence to inform systems changes for infectious diseases generally for public health.
“Fiji and the Ministry of Health is focusing a lot on research, I am hoping after my Master’s degree there will be more research that comes and collaborative partnerships to do research and develop health in this field,” she said.
The head of communications at the British High Commission, Veenita Mend, explained that scholars would not only be studying but would engage in parallel programs that would introduce them to world leaders, speaking to different speakers in their area of subject.
“They could be doing attachments, working with organisations; this actually gears them to become better leaders that is why Chevening scholarship is quite good, it’s not just about studying, it is also about developing leadership potential at the same time,” Ms Mend said.
The 2018-2019 scholarship recipients will depart for the UK later this year.
