Press release – 17 July 2013
20 emerging academics from across the Commonwealth will get the chance to broaden their horizons and develop their international contacts for the first time, thanks to the first round of a new grant programme funded by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).
The Early Careers Academic Grants, offered to mark the ACU’s Centenary in 2013, provide international learning opportunities to early career academics who have not yet had the opportunity to work, study, or travel outside their own country.
100 grants will be offered in total, in a series of rounds. The first 20 successful candidates, announced today, are:
According to Dr John Kirkland, Deputy Secretary General of the ACU, the grants fit with the ACU’s wider emphasis on early career support. ‘A series of studies undertaken here over the past few years confirm that this is a critical period in the development of academic careers’, he said. ‘Our Centenary celebrations, which are focused on looking to the future, are the perfect opportunity to make a practical contribution.’
The Early Careers Academic Grants support individuals to attend relevant conferences or academic meetings in other Commonwealth countries. The next round of applications will open shortly, for eligible staff at all ACU member institutions.
Notes:
1.) The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) is the world's first and oldest international university network, established in 1913. A UK-registered charity, the ACU has over 500 member institutions in developed and developing countries across the Commonwealth. For further information, visit www.acu.ac.uk
2.) The Early Careers Academic Grants Programme provide resources for applicants from ACU member universities to attend relevant conferences or academic meetings in another Commonwealth country. The programme will offer 100 grants worth £100,000 in total over the ACU’s Centenary period, funded by the ACU's endowment income. For further information, visit www.acu.ac.uk/early-careers-academic-grants
3.) The ACU endowment supports mobility amongst Commonwealth university staff, through the Development Fellowships Fund. To date, the fund has supported fellowships – including the ACU Titular Fellowships – scholarships, and research and mobility grants.
4.) For further information, please contact:
Natasha Lokhun
+44 (0)20 7380 6760
[email protected]