“Knowledge is power” might be a perfect motto for the “Chevening” scholarships that the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office offers every year to outstanding scholars around the world.
We use these to help many people with leadership potential build their personal leadership capacity and understand the issues faced by many leaders today.
Next year will be the Chevening Programme‟s 30th anniversary. During this period, it has built a network of over 41,000 alumni around the world. This includes 200 Ethiopians who have been able to study at top UK universities. We believe the scheme not only helps boost international leadership skills but also enables the scholars to return to their countries able to make a difference – while in the process fostering good bilateral relationships in areas which matter to us.
This year we have witnessed an alumnus of the Chevening Programme rise to a top leadership position in Ethiopia. The newly elected Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Demeke Mekonnen studied Conflict Resolution at the Department of Peace Studies at Bradford University, West Yorkshire in 2002/03. We hope his earlier studies have been and will be useful to him in his professional life and that he continues to see the UK as a natural partner in certain fields. We have, for example, worked closely with him as Education Minister because of the substantial support we give in this sector to improve the capacity and quality of education in Ethiopia, through the UK‟s Department of International Development.
For the 2013/2014 Chevening scholarships we are inviting applications from Ethiopians who wish to study Human Rights, International Relations, Political Leadership and the Private Sector. I encourage Ethiopians that meet the requirements of the scheme to apply at Chevening. Good Luck!
Your Excellency,
Thank you for this post. I am quite impressed with your initiative to connect to the wider public through your blogs. To the best of my knowledge, such initiative from the diplomatic community in Ethiopia is the first of its kind.
Human capital formation is at the root of the miracles of economic growth that we have observed in recent past in such countries as South Korea and Malaysia. The emphasis that the Government of UK is putting on building such capacity in Ethiopia —especially on leadership—is highly commendable. Even in the current global economic environment, when millions of people the world over are affected by the global crisis, the people and Government of UK have continued their support to the people and Government of Ethiopia in varieties of sectors.
Thank you
Fekadu Terefe
By using the power of education, I want to show myself to be an active citizen and significant portion of the population. I hope the prestigious universities of UK will let me be part of some thing special and my-age-journey and dreams will come to reality.
Good to know that our deputy PM also attended his postgraduate study in the UK. All Ethiopians who did /will do their studies in UK will be added value for both Ethiopia and UK to deepen relationships between the two countries and peoples.
Dear Ambassador,
Knowledge is indeed a power, I agree. But the place where you get knowledge and the international exposure one gets also matters. As one of the beneficiary of the 2012 chevening and attending International Politics at The university of Manchester, I would say that the education quality and a way of teaching at most of UK higher learning institutions are also of the highest quality that I am witnessing here(though its holding my breath). They focus on creating a learning environment, not of teaching and with all those ample educational resources one will undoubtedly benefit a lot.Besides, for aspirants such as the likes of me who want to contribute to the betterment of their society back at home ,Ethiopia, the international Exposure one can get besides the formal education it self will consolidate our understanding of the world more. And, UK, even as it stands today(with the economy lagging behind the new emerging markets) is a perfect place to have such exposure. From, the Oxford circus London, where’ the world shops’ to the many of the best that UK can offer that make it one of the most hub of the world. Of those things that can make him angry(when you visit British museum you will find artifacts that actually do not belong to UK but in possession of UK) to many numerous things that can show British innovations as they stand and rich historical heritages. So, I encourage those fellow aspirants who have a vision to contribute to the betterment of Ethiopia and the world to make use of this opportunity. And, thank you Mr. Ambassador, for believing in us and for the enabling opportunity for future leaders of Ethiopia.
Hi, Yinebebu, would you send me your email? I want you to share me your experiences.(habtieab@gmail.com)