‘Significant’ donation from King Charles funds island fellowships

King Charles has made a “significant” personal donation to fund a new fellowship programme that will enable students, academics and professionals to address challenges faced by small islands.

The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme will be run by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), of which King Charles was named patron in May 2024, succeeding his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. The amount donated by the monarch has not been disclosed.

In a statement, the ACU said Small Island Developing States (SIDS) “are among the most vulnerable countries in the world”, facing challenges including brain drain, the impact of climate change and economic shocks. 

“Efforts to strengthen their resilience and capacity to tackle these intersecting development challenges are urgent,” the organisation said. 

The new programme aims to address these concerns by supporting the skills development of local professionals, including civil servants, and their understanding of climate resilience. University academic staff will also be upskilled through PhDs facilitated by other universities across the Commonwealth, and undergraduate training will be delivered to address “significant capacity challenges” in key areas including education and healthcare. The ACU network includes more than 400 universities across more than 40 countries. 

In the first few years, funding will be provided to “multiple” cohorts of undergraduate, postgraduate and mid-career fellows, with the aim of including participants from all 24 SIDS in the Commonwealth. These include countries such as Mauritius, the Maldives, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Fiji. 

“There is so much we can learn from one another as we work together within the Commonwealth to tackle the major challenges of our age and, as these fellowships do in Small Island Developing States, to address them where they are felt most acutely,” King Charles said. 

“It is my fervent hope that these new fellowships will play a significant role in furthering the free exchange of knowledge and advancing the spirit of mutual support that lies at the heart of our Commonwealth – today, tomorrow and towards a brighter future for all.” 

Colin Riordan, chief executive of the ACU, described the news as “an honour”. 

“Creating opportunities and facilitating knowledge exchange are at the heart of what we do,” he said. “We are proud to work in partnership with our members in a range of Commonwealth countries to support the delivery of this important SIDS-focused legacy programme in His Majesty’s name.” 

The ACU said the programme was “inspired” by the King’s “life’s work to create opportunity and to tackle contemporary challenges including climate change and inequality”.

The new programme was due to be officially launched during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com