Fiji: Chevening Alumni Programme Fund 2022 to 2023 is now open

We are looking for innovative projects to bring alumni together locally, regionally, or globally, and which will have lasting impact and further raise the profile of this prestigious scheme.

Funding could be used to organise alumni activities or run projects to enhance Chevening engagement, influence, and social impact. The Fund is available to all Chevening alumni.

Themes/ideas

Some ideas for projects include:

• raising awareness of climate change: carrying out a knowledge and resources-sharing process regarding climate change impact and adaptation/resilience in the country/region. Engaging with local and/or national government and other stakeholders, including (if appropriate) the general public. Exposure of Chevening alumni to the conversations in that country on the topic and involvement in relevant forums, events and training sessions as an outcome of the project

• gender equality-themed events: promoting women’s empowerment in the country via panel discussions or forum/conference, advocacy campaign and/or roundtables. Engaging with stakeholders, such as local/national government, NGOs and private sector

• driving positive messaging of LGBTQ issues: sexuality and human rights dialogues with young people via workshops, symposiums or through community service awareness-raising events. Aiming to start or amplify the conversation on the topic and influence attitudes among the public and among decision-makers at a local/national level

• addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country/region: a conference, roundtable or workshop to generate recommendations on interventions for particular SDGs; for example, on education. Highlighting alumni as experts in the field and building their reputation as a think tank to be tapped into to identify solutions to achieving the SDGs. Promoting the Chevening brand.

• regional conference: strengthening the links between Chevening communities in the region and finding potential for further collaboration. A conference can take different formats, including panel discussions, roundtables and/or ted-talk formats. Covering themes key for the region and FCDO priorities; for example, education and youth employment, economic future, social enterprise, corruption, security (including cybersecurity and big data), environment and freedom of press. To conclude with actions or calls to action, as appropriate

• promoting innovative solutions to global or community challenges: public service projects that promote innovative solutions to global or community challenges with demonstrable impact; for example, a project bringing alumni together to develop a renewable energy education campaign and competition for local schools

• mentoring: alumni providing mentorship to (potentially underprivileged) students from the country or to new cohorts of Chevening alumni. Alumni have the opportunity to ‘give back’ via volunteering as a mentor, receive specific mentoring training and gain skills through experience. The project also builds the capacity of the students / alumni and brings alumni into contact with each other and their local diplomatic mission

Bidding process and guidance

Details of the criteria that all bids will be assessed against, and other guidance, are available on Chevening Connect. For more information or should you wish to make a bid please email the British High Commission Suva PublicDiplomacySuva@fco.gov.uk

If you have an idea for a project please contact us by 12 March. The High Commission will be able to help you prepare your bid to the Chevening Secretariat.