London, UK / Apia, Samoa
On Thursday 24 October, His Majesty King Charles III attended the ceremonial launch event of the new King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) hosted by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). The event, which took place in Apia, Samoa, was held during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) – a summit of heads of government of Commonwealth nations which takes place every two years.
During the event, the ACU formally launched the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme with His Majesty, a new education initiative inspired by his life’s work to create opportunity and to tackle contemporary challenges including climate change and inequality.
The programme has been developed in response to urgent economic, social and environmental development challenges affecting Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The idea was also born from His Majesty’s conversations with leaders in the Caribbean. The prestigious initiative will fully fund, train and support multiple cohorts of undergraduate, postgraduate and mid-career King’s Fellows in its first few years, delivering short, medium and long-term sustainable impact for Commonwealth SIDS and their communities.
The KCFP ceremonial launch event was one of a small number of royal engagements during His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla’s time in Samoa, and was an opportunity for the King to meet over 100 students from National University of Samoa and the University of South Pacific, as well as representatives from ACU member universities and stakeholders from across the Commonwealth.
The Prime Minister of The Bahamas, The Hon. Philip Davis, and UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Rt. Hon David Lammy, also attended the event, where they met with Commonwealth students, and discussed with the ACU how its network of 400+ universities across the Commonwealth can support their government’s priorities.
Speaking to the ACU’s Secretary General, Prof Colin Riordan, His Majesty spoke of how proud he was to be the Patron of the ACU. During the official CHOGM opening ceremony, His Majesty also formally announced and shared details of the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme in his inaugural speech to CHOGM as Head of the Commonwealth.
In his speech His Majesty King Charles III commented:
‘In this spirit and following the conversations with many Commonwealth leaders gathered here, I asked the Association of Commonwealth Universities and its numerous members to consider the vital issue of access to education. I am delighted therefore by the offer to launch a new Commonwealth Fellowship Programme for students from the Small Island States to build skills that will underpin a resilient future, such as in nursing, teaching, engineering, and the green transition.’
This recognition by His Majesty during the opening ceremony is a huge honour for the ACU, and acknowledgement of the significant contribution that ACU members make to the Commonwealth and its ambitions for a sustainable future.
Image gallery
More information
- View the full image gallery of the launch event here
- Find out more about the ACU at CHOGM 2024
About King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP)
Inspired by His Majesty King Charles III, The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme is an ambitious interdisciplinary three-part initiative offering fellowships for mid-career professionals, undergraduate scholarships, and PhDs. Delivered together, these three strands will enable sustained short, medium and long-term impact for Commonwealth SIDS and their communities. Find out more
List of Commonwealth SIDS
Africa
Mauritius, Seychelles
Asia
The Maldives
Caribbean and Americas
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
Pacific
Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu