Elizabeth Tanya Masiyiwa Appointed as Commissioner of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) has announced the appointment of Ms Elizabeth Tanya Masiyiwa as its new Commissioner. The appointment was made by the Rt Hon. Andrew Mitchell (MP), Minister for Development and Africa (UK), and is set to have a significant impact on the future of the Commonwealth Scholarship program.

As Commissioner, Ms Masiyiwa will assume a role in shaping the strategic direction of the CSC, that aims to avail education opportunities to talented individuals across the Commonwealth. With her extensive expertise and visionary leadership, she aims to keep the program at the forefront of providing opportunities for exceptional individuals who are dedicated to making a difference in their communities.

One of Ms Masiyiwa’s key responsibilities will be overseeing the selection process for scholarship recipients. She will personally handpick individuals who demonstrate outstanding potential and a strong commitment to driving positive change. In terms of remuneration, all positions within the CSC are part-time. The only member who receives payment is the Chair, who is granted an annual honorarium of £12,000. Other Commissioners are entitled to reimbursement for travel and out-of-pocket expenses. Commissioners involved in reviewing scholarship applications and attending selection committee meetings also receive an honorarium of £300 per meeting.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission comprises up to 14 Commissioners and is governed by the Public Appointments Commissioner’s governance code. The chair of the commission is Professor Robin Mason, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) at the University of Birmingham. Serving as the Deputy Chair is Professor Morag McDonald, Dean of the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at Bangor University.

The other Commissioners of the CSC are esteemed individuals from various academic and professional backgrounds. They include Professor Madeleine Arnot, Emeritus Professor of Sociology of Education and Emeritus Fellow at Jesus College, University of Cambridge; Professor Sarah Hawkes, Professor of Global Public Health at University College London; Professor Kevin Ibeh, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) and Professor of Marketing and International Business at Birkbeck, University of London; Professor Paul Jackson, Professor of African Politics and Director of Research for the College of Social Sciences at the University of Birmingham; Professor Parmjit Jat, Professor of Molecular Cellular Biology at University College London (UCL) and Medical Research Council (MRC) Investigator within the MRC Prion Unit at UCL; Professor Nuala McGrath, Professor of Epidemiology and Sexual Health at the University of Southampton; Ms Emma Judge, International development consultant and a published author; Dr Catherine MacKenzie, barrister and legal academic; Professor James Smith, Vice Principal International and Chair of Africa and Development Studies at the University of Edinburgh; Dr Christine Thuranira-McKeever, Director of Distance Learning at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC); and Professor John Wood CBE, FREng, a materials scientist with honorary chairs at several UK universities.