Oxford Education Conference: 50 years on

At the first Commonwealth Education Conference, held 50 years ago this month, ministers agreed to set up a Scholarship and Fellowship Plan.

The report from the conference, which took place in Oxford, UK, stated: “It will enrich each country of the Commonwealth by enabling an increasing number of its abler citizens to share the wide range of educational resources available throughout the Commonwealth and thus promote equality of educational opportunity at the highest level.”

The idea for this Plan was first conceived at the Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference, held in Montreal, Canada, in 1958.

Since 1959 the Plan has grown to be one of the most prestigious schemes for international study and professional development in the world.

More than 25,000 Commonwealth citizens have held awards - many going on to reach the very highest levels of their profession.

At the 1959 conference, ministers agreed that the plan “should be based on a system of awards for men and women from all Commonwealth countries – people who are of high intellectual promise and who may also be expected to make a significant contribution to life in their own countries on their return from study overseas.”

Last month, education ministers met in Malaysia for their 17th Commonwealth conference.

At this June 2009 meeting Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma launched a new endowment fund, set up to mark 50 years since the Scholarship and Fellowship Plan was initiated. This Anniversary Endowment Fund will increase the range of countries in which Commonwealth scholarships are available, particularly low and middle income countries.

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