Commonwealth
Professional Fellowships
Commonwealth
Professional Fellowships are offered by the CSC for citizens of developing
Commonwealth countries. These fellowships are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), with the
aim of contributing to the UK’s international development aims and wider
overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education, and
sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth
Professional Fellowships support mid-career professionals from developing
countries to spend a period of time at a UK host organisation working in their
field for a programme of professional development.
Purpose: To provide professionals
with the opportunity to enhance knowledge and skills in their given sector, and
to have catalytic effects on their workplaces.
Intended
beneficiaries:
Mid-career professionals (with five years’ relevant work experience) working in
development-related organisations in developing Commonwealth countries.
Organisations from
any sector can apply either to host one or more Commonwealth Professional Fellows
within their own organisation, or to nominate one or more Fellows to be hosted
by another organisation with which they have links.
Key
features
The CSC is keen to
encourage creative and flexible applications for Commonwealth Professional
Fellowships from a wide range of sectors – professional, charitable, public,
and private. Priority will be given to applications with practical relevance in
the following broadly-defined areas:
- Agriculture
/ fisheries / forestry - Economic
growth - Education
- Engineering
/ science / technology - Environment
- Governance
- Public
health
Applications for
Commonwealth Professional Fellowships must adhere to the following rules:
- Fellowships
should normally be between one and three months in length. Applications
for longer periods (up to a maximum of six months) will be considered, but
only when a strong case for the additional time has been made. Fellowships
should be long enough to enable the serious development of professional
skills, so the CSC will not consider applications for fellowships with a
duration of less than one month. - Applications
should include a clear programme of professional experience and exchange
for mid-career professionals. Visits to, and periods of experience with,
relevant UK organisations are particularly encouraged. Attendance at short
courses or conferences during the fellowship is acceptable, providing that
this can be justified within the selection criteria and that attendance is
not the main focus of the fellowship. - Fellowships
should be UK-based for their full duration. - Organisations
can apply to host/nominate up to ten Fellows in one year, with no more
than six in any round. The CSC will decide on the actual number of Fellows
to be supported. - Applications
will not be considered from candidates who are undertaking a course of
full-time study at the time of application; seeking assistance towards the
cost of commencing or completing a formal academic or professional
qualification; or wishing to undertake an academic programme or research
of any kind in the UK. Applications presenting an academic research
proposal or plan will be considered ineligible. - Candidates
who have previously taken a leave of absence to study or work abroad in a developed
country should make an additional case for why they should be considered
for a fellowship in the UK and make clear what they have gained from their
previous experience.
CommonwealthProfessional Fellowships 2016 prospectus – includes full details of
the scheme and terms and conditions
Commonwealth ProfessionalFellowships – information for prospective host/nominating organisations
Commonwealth ProfessionalFellowships – information for candidates