Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships
Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships offer the opportunity to study for a UK Master’s degree while living and working in your home country.
The scheme was established in 2002, as part of the CSC’s and DFID’s commitment to exploring new methods of scholarship delivery. To date, nearly 1,000 Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships have been awarded.
Rather than offering these scholarships directly to students, the CSC works with UK universities to identify appropriate courses and recruit candidates.
2012 Distance Learning Scholarships – information for candidates
Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are being offered in 2012 for the following Master’s courses. Full details of these courses and the application process must be obtained from the institution itself.
Bangor University – MSc Forestry
Cardiff University – MSc Palliative Medicine/Palliative Care
Institute of Education, University of London – MA Education and International Development
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine – MSc Clinical Trials
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine – MSc Epidemiology
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine – MSc Global Health Policy
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine – MSc Infectious Diseases
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine – MSc Public Health
London South Bank University – MSc Education for Sustainability
Open University – MSc Advanced Networking
Open University – MSc Computing for Commerce and Industry
Open University – MSc Development Management
Open University – MSc Software Development
Royal Veterinary College, University of London – MSc Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health
School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London – MSc Poverty Reduction: Policy and Practice
University of Bath – MSc International Construction Management (for Tanzanian citizens only)
University of Edinburgh – MSc Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health
University of Edinburgh – MSc Global Health and Infectious Diseases
University of Edinburgh – MSc Global Health: Non-Communicable Diseases
University of Edinburgh – MSc International Animal Health
University of Leicester – MSc Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management
University of Liverpool – MPH Master of Public Health
University of Manchester – MPH Master of Public Health
University of Oxford – MSt International Human Rights Law
University of Southampton — MSc Gerontology
University of Stirling – MSc Dementia Studies
University of Warwick – MSc Engineering Business Management
University of York – MPA Master of Public Administration – International Development
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship, candidates should:
be Commonwealth citizens of a developing Commonwealth country, refugees or British protected persons AND be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
normally hold a first degree of upper second-class standard, or higher qualification. In certain cases, we will consider a lower qualification and sufficient relevant experience
Further information is available in the Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships prospectus 2012.
How to apply
The CSC expects all candidates being considered for a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship to have completed an application form using our Electronic Application System (EAS).
The deadline for applications is 23:59 GMT on 28 May 2012.
Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships
Prospectus 2012
www.dfid.gov.uk/cscuk
Introduction
The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan is one of the
largest and most prestigious scholarships schemes for
international study in the world. Since it was established in 1959,
around 29,000 individuals have benefited – 17,000 of them have
held awards funded by the United Kingdom, managed by the
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom
(CSC).
This prospectus describes the Commonwealth Distance Learning
Scholarships offered by the CSC in 2012-2013.
Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships provide the
opportunity for individuals to study for a UK Master’s degree
while living and working in their home country. The scheme was
established in 2002, as a direct response to the measures taken
by our funder, the UK Department for International Development
(DFID), to explore new methods of delivery as part of the drive for
poverty reduction. To date, nearly 1,000 Commonwealth Distance
Learning Scholarships have been awarded.
Distance Learning Scholarships
The application cycle for Distance Learning Scholarships has three
stages:
1. UK universities are invited to submit Expressions of Interest to
become a Distance Learning Scholarships course provider
(June-October)
2. The CSC assesses formal proposals from shortlisted providers,
deciding which courses to select and how many scholarships
to allocate to each course (January)
3. The CSC selects candidates for Distance Learning Scholars
hips from a shortlist nominated by the provider, derived from
its own recruitment processes (February-July)
The CSC has supported both courses offered in partnership with
universities in developing countries, and courses delivered
directly by UK institutions. In addition, in 2006 and at the express
request of DFID, we made available up to 200 Distance Learning
Scholarships tenable in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically for
courses in health and education.
Successful proposals for Distance Learning Scholarships have
featured a wide variety of delivery methodologies, for example:
largely internet-based courses
largely print-based courses
courses which bring students together for seminars at partner
institutions
courses which bring students together for short spells in the
UK
courses which focus on electronic interaction
The most important consideration is that the course is fit for
purpose.
Expressions of Interest
The CSC seeks Expressions of Interest from UK institutions for
Distance Learning Scholarships tenable in the following year,
each June.
There is one annual call for Expressions of Interest, so institutions
should submit all proposals in this round, whether they involve a
partner or not.
If proposals are based on existing partnership arrangements with
institutions in developing Commonwealth countries, there should
be clear evidence of substantive collaborative work and an
equally clear exposition of the current and future role of the
partner institution in course delivery. The selection committee will
also require evidence of a genuine commitment to the overseas
partner in terms of capacity development, for example, through
enhancing its role in the areas of curriculum development,
methods of delivery, or student support.
The selection committee considers all eligible Expressions of
Interest at meetings held annually in October. Successful course
providers are then invited to submit a formal proposal for
support
Proposals
Formal proposals from shortlisted providers are considered by
the selection committee in January each year. The committee also
decides on the number of scholarships to be allocated to each
course.
Criteria for providers
There are three criteria against which Expressions of Interest and
proposals will be considered:
The quality of the course, including whether the Expression
of Interest/proposal has institutional endorsement, the
Quality Assurance record, and the track record for delivery of
the course through the medium of distance learning.
The learning opportunities provided for developing country
students, including whether the course takes into account
appropriate use of technology, whether course providers can
identify a target audience of potential applicants and recruit
them successfully, and the factors likely to affect candidates’
successful completion of their studies.
The development impact of the course of study, including
how the course content can be applied to the Millennium
Development Goals, and the subsequent career patterns of
course alumni.
Please note that, where institutions are working with a partner incountry,
the partner must be based in a developing
Commonwealth country (see list below).
Formal agreements with providers
Successful providers will be required to enter into a formal
agreement with the CSC. The agreement will detail the various
obligations placed on the provider. These will include
responsibility for:
publicising and advertising the awards
recruiting and nominating candidates
maintaining and developing the relationship with the partner
institution
accreditation of existing course modules and any
developments made to the curriculum
www.dfid.gov.uk/cscuk
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK
c/o The Association of Commonwealth Universities
Woburn House
20-24 Tavistock Square
London WC1H 9HF
United Kingdom
www.dfid.gov.uk/cscuk
delivery of the course
associated quality assurance
The agreement will also detail the financial arrangements
between the provider and the CSC.
Applications from candidates
Successful providers will be required to conduct their own
recruitment process to shortlist a specified number of nominated
candidates for Distance Learning Scholarships. A selection
committee will then select Scholars from this shortlist, in July.
Eligibility criteria for candidates
To be eligible for a Commonwealth Distance Learning
Scholarship, candidates should:
be Commonwealth citizens of a developing Commonwealth
country, refugees or British protected persons AND be
permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
(see list below)
normally hold a first degree of upper second-class standard,
or higher qualification. In certain cases, we will consider a
lower qualification and sufficient relevant experience
Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships may not be held
concurrently for more than one course
How to apply
Full information on how institutions and candidates can apply,
plus copies of this prospectus, are available at
http://bit.ly/cscuk-distance-learning-scholarship
Monitoring and evaluation
Monitoring and evaluating the course provision, the development
impact of each student, and the capacity-building potential of the
course is an essential part of any agreement between the CSC
and a provider.
Full annual reports are required from both the provider and the
Scholars themselves. Brief interim reports are also required from
the provider, to report examination results and to draw the CSC’s
attention to any significant developments or constraints.
Information required to facilitate evaluation will include
demographic details (for example, gender, age, employment
details, country of origin, future career plans), academic progress,
curriculum development, and a breakdown of financial
expenditure.
The CSC also sends its award holders a questionnaire at the start
of their scholarship, to evaluate the impact that they hope their
studies will have on a personal and developmental level. A
questionnaire at the end of their award provides an opportunity
for them to assess how their expectations have been met.
List of eligible Commonwealth countries
* Awards offered to build the capacity of civil society organisations.
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Botswana
British Virgin Islands
Cameroon
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Falkland Islands
The Gambia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Pitcairn
Rwanda
St Helena
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and The
Grenadines
Samoa
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Swaziland
Tanzania
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tristan da Cunha
Turks and Caicos
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia