Postgraduate scholarship: Chevening programme’s benefits highlighted

To raise awareness about the UK’s Chevening scholarship programme, the British High Commission organised a presentations at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Friday, according to a press release.

British High Commission Press Attaché Jonathan Williams, who is also the head of the Chevening programme in Pakistan, highlighted its history and objectives and encouraged prospective applicants to apply.

Williams said, “Chevening scholarships offer potential future leaders, the opportunity to study for a postgraduate qualification in the UK. Our universities benefit from having top professionals study with them, he added. “As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Chevening scholarships this year, the programme has produced over 42,000 scholars to date globally which also includes 12,00 Pakistanis from various disciplines, including the journalism and the media.”

Williams said that he was proud of the Chevening alumni and their contribution towards Pakistan’s development. This is a sign of the strong bilateral relationship between two countries, he added.

In his welcome address, ICCI President Zafar Bakhtawari, appreciated the British government’s cooperation in the education sector. He said British society provides equal opportunities to all due to which many Pakistanis have earned great name in business, education and even politics in UK.

He also appreciated UK’s support for grant of EU GSP plus to Pakistan and hoped that it would create 1 million jobs in the country.

The first presentation on the programme was held at the National Press Club on Wednesday. Talking about their experience as Chevening scholars in the UK, Fawad Khurshid and Abid Malik said it had been a wonderful experience to study at universities in England and journalists from Pakistan should apply for this programme.

The window of application for the 2014/15 academic year opened on September 1. Applications can be made online at www.chevening.org/pakistan. (http://www.chevening.org/pakistan.) The closing date is November 15.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2013.