Recognising that women are underrepresented in the field of science, including engineering and scientific academia, The British Council which is celebrating 70 years of its presence in India this year has awarded fully-funded scholarships to 100 Indian women, 25 of them from the North, to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects at United Kingdom’s premier institutions of higher learning. Sharing this information with students at the English Auditorium of Panjab University campus on Monday, British Deputy High Commissioner in Chandigarh Andrew Ayre and other senior officials said giving top priority to granting scholarships to Indian students to pursue higher education in UK universities, a hefty sum of Rs 117 crore was spent last year, making possible for 500 students to avail of scholarships.
Speaking on the topic ‘Education As A Key Link For Strengthening UK-India Ties’ as part of a ‘Gateway to Global Opportunity’ programme, Ayre said the UK institutions of higher learning were consistently ranked among the best in the world and they offered flexible courses to suit individual requirements, which is a big advantage.
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British Deputy High Commissioner in Chandigarh Andrew Ayre
Photos By : Life In Chandigarh
Giving details of the anniversary scholarships for women, Tom Birtwistle, Director, North India, British Council, said the 100 women scholars will be attending 44 British universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for their Master’s courses during the 2018-19 academic year. The scholarships will offer the women a chance to work in world-class research environments and collaborate in international research teams. Selected from across India from Tier I, II and III cities and towns, the scholars were also provided training by the British Council to enable them to create an impact of their work in STEM subjects through effective use of social media and science communication.
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Indian women recipients of British Council special anniversary scholarships from North
Among the scholarships listed out by Birtwistle (details available on the website of British Council Chandigarh) were :
GREAT Scholarships : 67 full tuition scholarships with a value of 1 million British pounds for prospective full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolling in a broad range of subjects.
Commonwealth Scholarship & Fellowship : Aimed at students of Commonwealth countries who can make a significant contribution to their home country after completion of their higher education programme in the UK. The courses covered are one-year Taught Master’s courses or equivalent and doctoral degree of up to three/four years’ duration.
Hornby Scholarships 2018 : For English language teachers from outside the UK to study for Masters degree in English Language Teaching (ELT) at the University of Warwick.
Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships : Scholarships are offered in the field of Conservation, Heritage and Culture, enabling Indians in the early to mid stages of their careers to spend time in the UK, helping them achieve artistic, academic and professional ambitions and to broaden their international contacts.
Newton Bhabha PhD Placement Programme : A partnership between The British Council and Departments of Science & Technology and Biotechnology, it provides funding support to Indians for short-term placements in UK and Indian institutions.
For details, visit https://www.britishcouncil.in/about/what/our-presence-in-india/british-council-chandigarh
