The Graduate Centre in the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Department of Research recently hosted a meet-and-greet event at which current and new UP Doctoral Commonwealth Scholarship students met and interacted with each other and their study supervisors.

The centre has since 2009 awarded 16 UP Doctoral Commonwealth Scholarships to students from ten countries: Pakistan, India, Tanzania, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi and Kenya, with two 2019 recipients recently chosen.

The UP Doctoral Commonwealth Scholarship is available to students from Commonwealth countries (excluding South Africa) to cover doctoral studies in any of UP’s faculties.

Nigerian Adedapo Adeola, one of the 2019 awardees, is doing his studies in the Department of Chemistry in UP’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. “The UP Doctoral Commonwealth Scholarship is like a dream come true for me,” he said. “It provides me with a unique platform and an opportunity to broaden my scientific horizon, to learn, grow and contribute significantly towards the advancement of research and development on the African continent. I am proud to be part of this great institution.”

Ifeanyi Kalu, a 2016 awardee who’s also from Nigeria, said, “I feel so excited and privileged to have been awarded this competitive scholarship, and I do not take this opportunity for granted.” Kalu is completing his studies in the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering in UP’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology.

The 2020 call for the UP Doctoral Commonwealth Scholarship is open to prospective doctoral students from Commonwealth countries (except RSA) until 2 September.

For details on postgraduate funding opportunities, please visit www.up.ac.za/funding