CRISP : gathering the innovators of tomorrow

Congratulations to our two Sri Lankan Chevening CRISP fellows for 2016, Gayani Abeyasinghe and Balathasan Sayanthan, who are about to start their three month programme at the Saïd Business School in Oxford.  This is the second year that Sri Lanka has been part of CRISP, a fellowship aimed at mid-career professionals from India and Sri Lanka who have exceptionally high potential in science, innovation or business.

To mark the departure of the 2016 Fellows, I asked one of last year’s Fellows, Dr Dilan Fernando, to reflect on his time in the UK.

“Oxford! The university town steeped in tradition and synonymous world-wide with learning and  intellect. Boasting 27 Nobel laureates, 26 British Prime Ministers and numerous foreign Heads of State amongst its alumni, it is one of the greatest institutions in the world.

As soon as I heard about CRISP, I wanted to apply.  I’m making the transition from R & D Scientist to Scientific Entrepreneur and the programme contents were very appealing. I had previously completed my DPhil/PhD in Biochemistry and spent four glorious years in Oxford, so going back was indeed a delightful thought!  MAS Holdings, my employer, was very supportive and actively encouraged me to apply.

A few months later, there I was.  The course started on 15 April 2015. By a splendid coincidence, a gathering of all Chevening Scholars and Fellows was held the very next day at the House of Commons. We were given access to the inner sanctum of this great institution: a very nice way to start things off.

The programme alternated between class room presentations and site visits, theory and practice. There was never a dull moment! Most class room presentations were interactive. The lecturers were top faculty members of the Saïd Business School and experts in their fields. We Fellows came from different backgrounds including science, medicine, public administration, R & D, NGOs etc. With so many divergent views, our discussions and debates were endlessly interesting.

CRISP had a welcoming atmosphere, largely due to some great individuals who went out of their way to make us all feel completely at home. The Fellows became members of St. Cross College, Oxford.  This gave us the full Oxford experience, with dining rights and access to all the College’s social events. We attended numerous events, including editions of both TEDxOxbridge 2015 and ‘Silicon Valley Comes to Oxford’.  It was a treat to learn from a fantastic range of speakers.

We were also introduced to British culture and history, including a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, where we enjoyed an impromptu play by a group of talented actors, and afternoons punting (a.k.a. the art of manoeuvering a long boat with an equally long pole standing on a wobbly surface without falling into the river) along the River Cherwell.

One of the final events was “Encaenia 2015,” the formal ceremony where the university awards honorary degrees to distinguished men and women and commemorates its benefactors. It is one of the most important ceremonies in the university calendar and at its conclusion, we all became alumni of Saïd Business School.

CRISP was a rich and diverse programme. I count myself exceedingly fortunate to have been part of it. It enriched all of us immensely, including through the great bonds of friendships that developed over the programme. I would strongly recommend it to anyone.”

CRISP – the Chevening Rolls Royce Science and Innovation Leadership Fellowship – is jointly funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Rolls Royce.  It is aimed at mid-career professionals from India and Sri Lanka who have exceptionally high potential in science, innovation and business.  The very varied programme covers science, innovation, leadership and management, as well as wider issues including global challenges, politics, and international relations.

Shehani Gomes, our other 2015 Sri Lankan CRISP Fellow blogged about her experience in Teaming up to Transform the World with Chevening   

Chevening is the UK’s flagship scholarship programme for outstanding individuals with the potential to become future leaders in their field. The next application window for both Chevening and CRISP is August to November 2016, but it’s never too soon to start thinking about your application.  For more details visit www.chevening.org