The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) was officially launched on October 24, 2024, in Samoa during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in the presence of His Majesty, King Charles III.
The KCFP is an innovative and ambitious interdisciplinary initiative aimed at creating significant, long-term impacts in the Caribbean and Pacific regions. It will be executed in collaboration with the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), with regional hubs set at The University of South Pacific and the University of West Indies, alongside other local and Commonwealth partners such as the Commonwealth Local Government Forum.
This program is designed to enhance capacity in vital sectors including education, health, and disaster resilience engineering. It will offer local authorities and civil service teams essential tools and knowledge to support long-term resilience through a holistic approach to converging development challenges.
By establishing a distinguished network of “King’s Fellows,” the KCFP will promote partnerships, knowledge exchange, and collaborative problem-solving among Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Professor Pal Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor and President of USP, co-hosted the launch ceremony with university staff and around 50 students representing USP’s member countries. He highlighted the KCFP’s launch as a crucial step in capacity building and enhancing access to education in SIDS.
“This is an exciting and remarkable initiative by His Majesty King Charles III, and USP is proud to serve as a regional hub and key partner with ACU and the University of the West Indies in implementing the KCFP,” remarked Professor Ahluwalia. “This program has the potential to develop a highly skilled workforce, essential for fostering innovation, economic diversification, and sustainable development in SIDS.”
He also expressed his appreciation to the ACU for making the KCFP a reality. The KCFP will be part of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, which has positively impacted over 38,000 individuals since its launch by Commonwealth education ministers in 1959.
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