In a significant stride towards women's empowerment and leadership development, the Karnataka government has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK's Chevening Scholarships programme. This unique initiative is designed to offer scholarships to women graduates from Karnataka, enabling them to pursue a Master's degree in the UK.
The MoU was signed during the Winter Session of the Assembly in Belagavi. Higher Education Minister Dr M.C. Sudhakar and British Deputy High Commissioner to Karnataka & Kerala, Mr. Chandru Iyer, were present.
The Chevening Scholarships programme, a global awards scheme initiated by the UK government in 1983, aims to nurture global leaders. The India programme is the largest worldwide, offering up to 45 fully paid scholarships and fellowships annually. Today, Chevening is offered in 160 countries, with over 3,900 alumni in India.
Chandru Iyer expressed his delight at the partnership with Karnataka, emphasizing that empowering women and girls in the UK and worldwide is a priority for the UK government. This partnership forms an integral part of the UK's collaboration with India on various fronts, including technology and climate resilience.
The Chevening scholarship programme, which has been fostering global collaboration, academic excellence, and leadership for 40 years, will fully fund five women graduates every year for the next three years to pursue a Master's programme in any UK university in any stream. A total of 15 women graduates will benefit from the program in the next three years, with the first batch of scholars commencing their UK education in September 2025.
In a similar vein, the British High Commission in India has been organizing the 'High Commissioner for a Day' competition every year since 2017 to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child. This initiative provides young women with a unique behind-the-scenes look at the life of a diplomat and the UK-India partnership in action.
