British Deputy High Commissioner hosts reception for returning Chevening and Commonwealth scholars, underlines girls’ education

Islamabad: The British High Commission on Thursday organised a virtual welcome back reception for Pakistani scholars who were awarded the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships 2020/21.

British Deputy High Commissioner Alison Blackburne welcomed the Pakistani scholars who have returned from the UK after completing a fully-funded one-year master’s programme. The event was attended by officials of the British High Commission, returning scholars, and Chevening alumni.

The Deputy High Commissioner congratulated scholars on completing their master’s degree and welcomed them into the British alumni family, which has around 10,000 members across Pakistan.

Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships bring together some of the brightest minds from across the world to UK’s renowned universities where they are able to realise their educational aspirations and experience all that the UK has to offer. The scholarship not only brings immediate benefits to individual scholars, but also delivers long-term benefits for both Pakistan and the UK.

British Deputy High Commissioner Alison Blackburne said: “The UK is committed to promoting quality higher education, particularly for women and girls. We have worked hard over the years to encourage more women to apply for Chevening scholarships, and more than half of the scholars last year were women. The scholars returning from their year of study have benefitted from world class education and also had the opportunity to learn more about the UK. They are part of the deep people to people ties which we are celebrating during this year marking 75 years of UK-Pakistan relations.”