Prestigious UK scholarship program launches Kurdistan Alumni network

Two sessions were provided at the launching event, the first aimed at attracting interested candidates and the second session aimed at organizations who may be interested in hiring Chevening Alumni.

Speaking to a crowd of approximately 60 people at the Rotana Erbil, Consulate Warr said working with the Chevening Alumni and scholars in Kurdistan has been one of the most pleasurable things he and his colleagues at the British Consulate have done.

“You and all others associated with Chevening have my colleagues in the British Consulate General Erbil and the British Government’s full and unequivocal support,” Warr said.

Warr said that Kurdish Alumni of Chevening come from “a good place in a difficult region” adding that they are the best that Kurdistan has to offer as scholars go through a difficult screening and selection process to be eligible for the Master’s program offered in the UK.

“If there are employers out there today, please remember that,” Warr said. “These are the guys that will make a big difference to your business, to your administration, to your governments, to Kurdistan. So please take advantage of them, draw upon their immense skills.”

Foreign Minister Mustafa, also the first person from Kurdistan to receive the Chevening scholarship in 1994, said the program allowed him and others to achieve “advancement academically and professionally.”

“We as Alumni who have greatly benefited from the experience of the opportunities provided from this program highly appreciate the British government for the Chevening scholarship,” Mustafa said.

“In addition to the classes that I took my interaction with classmates, colleagues and the faculty members, being exposed to a new environment and learning about different cultures altogether helped me in broadening my understanding and changed the way I perceived the world,” he added.

Mustafa said he was optimistic the new networking hub will serve to become a solid bridge between Kurdistan and the UK.

Lucy Smith, Head of Political Relations at the British Consulate said that the Chevening program offers scholarships to candidates from over 160 countries worldwide.

“Unlike a lot of other master’s programs, it’s only one year long, so it is intensive study in prestigious universities across the UK and it also offers a lot more than academic studies,” Smith said, adding that participants are also able to travel around the UK, and gain experience in management and international relations.

Smith said that the program is unique as it encourages scholars who graduate from the Chevening program to return to their country of origin to make a real change.

“Here in Kurdistan, we’re very proud to have Kak Falah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs who is one of our leading Chevening Alumni,” she said.

Smith added that there are now nearly 50,000 Chevening Alumni and has been operating for over 30 years worldwide and nearly 20 years in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

She said that there are nearly 100 Chevening Alumni from Kurdistan alone and over 500 across Iraq total, adding that they are sending approximately 20 scholars to study in the UK each year and plan on continuing to do so.

“We remain committed to having Chevening scholars go from Iraq and Kurdistan to the UK,” Smith added.