Sustainable consumption and production

Policy 2.0: Looking for a paradigm shift

Tuberculosis in the UK

The bad cop in the dissemination of scientific information – the media or science?

Equality in the classroom

From theory to practice: bringing engineering into reality

The CSC Lecture Series focuses on bringing together academic and professional speakers with Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows to explore a range of relevant issues relating to development. Through these events, Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows have the chance to consider and share opinions on key topics, and network with other Scholars, Fellows and guests.

Kindly hosted by the University of Southampton, this lecture explored how Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows can achieve and improve the impact of their research for development in their home country. 

The lecture was co-chaired by Professor Maria Evandrou, Head of the Department of Ageing and Gerontology at the University of Southampton.

Presentations

'Understanding population change: making an impact and the role of partnerships in the global north and south'

Professor Jane Falkingham shared her experiences of working with non-academic partners to create and improve impact. The talk covered three case studies, each highlighting how working with partners facilitated greater impact. The first focused on the ESRC Centre for Population Change’s work with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on improving understanding of population change in the UK. 

She then moved beyond the UK to explore how working with partners in Europe enabled her team to reach new audiences in Brussels. The third and final case study focused on a current ESRC-DFID project in Kenya and how working with partners in Nairobi is both informing the research and enabling the impact. 

The talk covered several different types of impact, ranging from outreach and public engagement through to influencing policy and practice.

Professor Jane Falkingham, Professor of Demography and International Social Policy and Dean of the Faculty of Social, Human and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Southampton. Professor Falkingham is also Director of the ESRC Centre for Population Change, which aims to improve the understanding of the key drivers and implications of population change. 


'Experiencing research impact in life sciences and translating it in your home country'

Dr Sandrine Willaime-Morawek described what research impact is, what form it takes in life sciences, how Scholars can experience it during their studies, whether it be in teaching, outreach or industry. She also highlighted a PhD student pathway to international impact as an example and finished with tips for research impact in development.

Dr Sandrine Willaime-Morawek, Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton. Dr Willaime-Morawek is a neuroscientist and cell biologist leading research in stem cell biology, and linking her basic research to industry and clinical needs.

CSC Lecture - Research impact: challenges and opportunities

The Welcome Event for Scholars is the largest event in the CSC calendar, and is a special opportunity for all new Commonwealth Scholars studying in the UK to come together at the beginning of their studies.

In this audio, you can hear the opening speech by Richard Middleton, Chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK, and the morning keynote address delivered by Commonwealth Alumnus, Dr Rolph Payet. Dr Payet is the Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, and an international policy expert and researcher on environment, climate and island issues.

You can access a transcript of the recording on the CSC webpages here: bit.ly/3e1Q44s

You can also use the time codes below to skip to the different speeches and Q&A.

Speakers:

Richard Middleton, Chair, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK

Time code: 13.09 - Dr Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (1989 Scholar from Seychelles, BSc Biochemistry, University of East Anglia)

Time code: 50.28 - Q&A: Commonwealth Scholars

Welcome Event 2019: Opening Remarks and Keynote Address by Dr Rolph Payet

Commonwealth Alumnus Gehan Gunatilleke delivers a presentation to a live audience of London-based Scholars on the topic ‘Speech, Violence and the State: A Perspective from the Global South’. In his talk, Gehan also shares his experiences as a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholar and the focus of his current research.

You can access a transcript of the recording on the CSC webpage here: bit.ly/2V7ZkeC

The Q&A starts at 37.53

Speakers:

Richard Middleton, Chair, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK

Gehan Gunatilleke, Lawyer, Research Director at Verité Research (Sri Lanka), former UN Advisor to Sri Lanka (2015 Distance Learning, MSt International Human Rights Law, University of Oxford)

Anne Anderson, Deputy Chair, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK

Q&A: Commonwealth Scholars

Speech, Violence and the State: A Perspective from the Global South

In May 2019, the CSC celebrated its 60th anniversary with a Research Impact Event, held at the Royal Society, London. The event celebrated and showcased the impact of Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships and the value of CSC-funded research to international development over the last 60 years. As part of the event, four Commonwealth Scholars and alumni delivered presentations on the impact of their CSC-funded doctoral research which is captured in this audio.. 

Speakers include the Scholar and alumni winners of the 60th Anniversary Taylor & Francis Commonwealth Scholar Best Journal Article Prize, Dr Fred Ikanda and Ruksana Rimi. 

You can access a transcript of the recording on the CSC website here: bit.ly/2JI9xJk 

You can use the time codes below to skip to a preferred presentation.

Speakers:

Dr Fred Ikanda, ‘Somali refugees in Kenya and social resilience’
2010 Scholar from Kenya, PhD Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge

Time code: 05.50 - Dr Mavis Asare, ‘Exploring the impact of physical exercise on the mental health of young people in Ghana’, 2010 Scholar from Ghana, PhD Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University

Time code: 10.11 - Dr Chigozie Utazi, ‘Mapping childhood vaccination coverage in low- and middle-income countries’
2010 Scholar from Nigeria, PhD Statistics, Lancaster University and the University of Manchester

Time code: 15.43 - Ruksana Rimi, ‘Anthropogenic climate change and extreme weather events: implications for Bangladesh’
2009 Scholar from Bangladesh, MSc Climate Change, University of East Anglia; 2013 Scholar, PhD Climate Change, University of Oxford

60th Anniversary of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission: Exploring Research Impact

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) awards over 900 scholarships and fellowships for postgraduate study and professional development to Commonwealth citizens each year.

Policy 2.0: Looking for a paradigm shift

CSC Radio