Government's Overseas Scholarship Schemes

Thursday 8th January 2015 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr Hugo Swire)]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development have recently commenced a review of the Government’s overseas scholarship schemes. It will build on the triennial reviews of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission and examine those schemes together with the Chevening scholarship programme to assess:

Whether there is scope for further efficiencies and synergies across the schemes;

If so, what alterations in structure, administration or delivery might realise those improvements?

The extent to which efficiencies have already been put in place in recent years.

While the scope of this review is limited to the Commonwealth, Chevening and Marshall schemes, the newly created BIS Newton Fund will also be considered in the process of evidence gathering.

Amanda Spielman, chair of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation has been contracted to conduct the review. The outcome of the review will be published in March 2015 and copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

[HCWS176]