The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) aims to help Small Island Developing States (SIDS) tackle urgent challenges like climate change and economic issues.
The programme will offer fellowships, scholarships, and PhD opportunities to mid-career professionals and students from Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
“Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are among the most vulnerable countries in the world, facing numerous economic and environmental shocks, youth out-migration and skills shortages in public services, and experiencing disproportionate and deeply damaging effects of climate change,” stated the ACU.
The programme will focus on strengthening skills in key areas such as education, healthcare, and engineering. Helping communities build resilience to climate change and other pressures.
King Charles III has personally supported the initiative, and the fellowship programme has been co-created in partnership with universities and stakeholders in SIDS and from across the Commonwealth.
Activities included in the programme will take place in-country, with an emphasis on local impact and retaining skills and talent in SIDS regions. The programme aims to strengthen climate resilience, build capacity in education, health and engineering, and develop resilient public services and the skills of those who support them, by:
- supporting civil servants, local government and mid-senior career professionals to further develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of climate resilience and its impact on other sectors through part-time fellowships undertaken alongside work;
- addressing significant capacity challenges in key education, healthcare and engineering sectors via undergraduate training;
- upskilling university academic staff and ‘train the trainers’ of future generations of researchers and workers in industries vital to SIDS resilience, through PHDs delivered in collaboration with ACU’s network of universities across the Commonwealth.
ACU stated that this prestigious programme will fully fund, train and support multiple cohorts of undergraduate, postgraduate and mid-career King’s Fellows in its first few years and seeks to engage participants from every Commonwealth SIDS. The programme will be tailored to the specific and unique needs of SIDS, but with broad thematic focus areas to facilitate knowledge sharing. Participants will have the opportunity to join a cohort of SIDS King’s Fellows, with the opportunity to network and exchange learning and shared problem solving with peers across SIDS and with ACU’s wider network of universities.
ACU Secretary General Professor Colin Riordan highlighted the importance of the programme. He said that it would offer life-changing opportunities and foster knowledge sharing across the Commonwealth.
King Charles III was named Patron of the ACU in May 2024, succeeding his mother, the late Queen, who held the role since 1986.
