Copy of letter to the Secretary of State
for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Foreign and Commonwealth
Office from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United
Kingdom
FCO FUNDED
SCHOLARSHIPS IN
COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES
Thank you for your letter of 11 March, describing
the FCO position on the future funding of Commonwealth Scholarships.
This is very disappointing news indeed, particularly in view of
Britain's leading role in the 50th anniversary celebrations for
the scheme in 2009. Frankly, it is an issue on which the Commission
would expect to have been consulted directly, and I am sorry it
was not possible to have a meeting with Ministers in advance.
On a more positive note, you may not be aware
that we have large elements of the type of scheme that you are
seeking to develop already in place. Your letter recognises the
rigour of our selection processes. We already have in place a
purpose built alumni database and are in contact with some 40%
of former award holders, electronic alumni networks in key professional
areas, and well developed mechanisms of contact with award holders.
Our record on leadership is also strong, as evidenced by the attached
list of 80 CSFP alumni, taken only from those countries
whose awards are supported by FCO.
My point is that, given your desire for the FCO
to support only one scholarship scheme in each country, the Commission
would be better placed to undertake this role than Chevening.
This is all the more so in the light of your need for economy.
Not only are our administration costs lower, but it cannot be
in taxpayer interest to duplicate systems and procedures that
are already in place.
I would therefore like to ask that, before your
decision is implemented, you agree to consider a detailed proposal
from the Commission on how this might be achieved. The aim of
such a proposal would be to deliver FCO funded scholarships in
Commonwealth countries in a more cost effective, targeted and
rigorous manner than the route proposed in your letter, whilst
retaining the Commonwealth brand, and not, therefore, be seen
as a withdrawal from the CSFP. It would thus endorse Britain's
view that the Commonwealth represents more than a channel for
delivering aid, and reduce the risk that countries such as Canada
and New Zealand would remove their CSFP awards for UK citizens.
Without anticipating the detailed content, our
proposal would of course ensure that High Commissions were central
to the activity, but also ensure greater consistency in the approach
between countries. It would also ensure that UK universities were
fully engaged. Finally, expanding on the role of the Commission
would contribute to a more coherent and publicly accountable programme
of scholarships across government.
In the table below,[8]
we list 80 former Commonwealth Scholars from the countries where
awards are supported by the FCO. Information has been taken from
the alumni database and may be subject to the usual rules of confidentiality
under which our information is collected.
17 March 2008
8 Not printed. Back
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