This week I hosted former Ethiopian scholars at the British Residence to mark the 30th Anniversary of the #British Government’s flagship #Chevening Scholarship programme.
The Chevening Scholarships are the #UK government’s global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (#FCO) and partner organisations. The programme targets outstanding scholars with leadership potential from around the world to study postgraduate courses at universities in the UK.
Over 200 Ethiopians have been Chevening scholars since the start of the programme in #Ethiopia in 1992. Chevening Scholars have an excellent record of rising to positions of leadership across a wide range of fields. Many of them have gone on to become senior leaders in their home countries.
Several of Ethiopia’s current leaders are able to use the experience they gained from their studies to contribute to this country’s economic and political development.
Former Chevening scholars Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonen (our Guest of Honour); Lidetu Ayalew, founding member of the Ethiopian Democratic Party (#EDP); and Tegene Getaneh, President of the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia were with us at our event. Our other guests included Hanan Endale, a disabled young woman who attended her Masters for Social Development at the University of #Swansea. Hanan is now helping shape disability policies in Ethiopia. It was a pleasure to see so many other distinguished guests present.
I was delighted to be able to announce a tripling of the Chevening budget for developing countries for the 2015-16 academic year and beyond. It means we will be able to send quite a few more young and talented Ethiopians to study in the UK. Applications for the 2015/16 Chevening Scholarships will begin next month and Ethiopian professionals with relevant interest are highly encouraged to apply and compete.