QMU welcomes 2016 cohort of Commonwealth Scholars
Queen Margaret University (QMU) has welcomed its 2016 cohort of Commonwealth Scholars.Queen Margaret University (QMU) has welcomed its 2016 cohort of Commonwealth Scholars.
This year’s successful postgraduate Scholars are Manika Saha from Bangladesh (South Asia) and Emmanuel Victor Odjidja from Ghana (West Africa), who are both studying MSc Global Health full-time in the Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) at QMU.
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) awards over 900 scholarships and fellowships for postgraduate study and professional development to Commonwealth citizens each year.
Since 1960, the CSC has funded over 26,000 Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows at UK institutions, including 42 students at Queen Margaret University.
The CSC aims to contribute to the UK’s international development aims and wider overseas interests, support excellence in UK higher education, and sustain the principles of the Commonwealth. Candidates are selected on the basis of merit and their potential to contribute to the needs of their home countries.
Manika Saha (Bangladesh), MSc Global Health
Before joining QMU, Manika completed a BSc (Hons) and MSc in Food and Nutrition at University of Dhaka in Bangladesh. She also worked as a nutritionist with the Food and Agriculture Organisation for the United Nations, helping to improve the nutrition of children and women. As a nutritionist from the highly populated Bengal Delta, Manika’s ambition is to be a global health expert. She chose study at QMU because she felt the University offered the best postgraduate programme for her to focus on the development and improvement of global health.
Manika said: “I’m really grateful to QMU and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for granting me this award. I applied for the Scholarship because as a third world citizen, I couldn’t afford the cost of study in the UK. Through the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, QMU has opened the door for me to learn and explore my chosen academic field in a world-class institution.
“I firmly believe the study of global health at QMU will enhance my personal development, as well as strengthen my skills and knowledge. After graduating from QMU, I plan to return to Bangladesh and join a development organisation, where I will hopefully get the chance to formulate and influence government policy, and conduct further research.
Emmanuel Victor Odjidja (Ghana), MSc Global Health
Emmanuel previously studied at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, where he completed an undergraduate degree in Geography, specialising in medical geography. He has also completed several certificate programmes in public health and statistics.
Emmanuel has worked as a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist on a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) malaria care project. The project focused on building capacity of health providers to properly diagnose and treat malaria.
Commenting on his scholarship and studies at QMU, Emmanuel said: “My previous experience working on development projects with international organisations really helped me secure the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship.
“The knowledge and experience I expect to gain from my studies at QMU will contribute to my personal development, as well as allowing me to make a positive difference to the lives of people in my home country of Ghana.
“This unique opportunity will help me to meet my career needs and aspirations and it is my hope that after studying at QMU, I’ll be able to undertake senior project roles on international development projects.”
Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships in the UK are funded by the Department for International Development (for developing Commonwealth countries), and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Scottish Government (for developed Commonwealth countries), in conjunction with UK universities.
For more information on Commonwealth Scholarships, visit: www.dfid.gov.uk/cscuk
Notes to Editor
For further media information contact Lynne Russell, Marketing Manager, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk T: 0131 474 0000, M: 07711 011239 and Jon Perkins, Press and PR Officer, E: jperkins@qmu.ac.uk T: 0131 474 0000.
