UK extends Ocean Country Partnership Programme Scholarships to Bangladesh

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) on 17 October announced the launch of up to 56 fully funded Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) Scholarships for students from Bangladesh, India, Ghana and Belize.

Funded by the UK government's £500 million Blue Planet Fund, the scholarships are open to students from these destinations wishing to undertake a master’s degree in their country of citizenship and develop a career in marine science, according to a press release. 

The OCPP Scholarships have now opened for applications at selected universities in Ghana, India, Bangladesh and Belize for the forthcoming academic year, following a successful pilot programme in the South Pacific last year.

Hosted by Bangladesh Agricultural University, University of Belize, India’s Berhampur University and Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), and Ghana’s University of Cape Coast, the OCPP Scholarships 2023-24 will fund a range of master’s degree courses in marine science, enabling scholars to undertake world-class research and innovation in this area.

By supporting early career researchers who wish to develop a career in marine science, the scholarships will contribute to the conservation and sustainable management of marine resources and strengthen responses to marine environmental challenges, the press release reads.

The scholarships will also make a positive and tangible impact on the livelihoods of coastal communities that depend on healthy marine ecosystems, as scholars harness their on-the-ground knowledge, conduct vital research and help develop local solutions to local marine environmental issues.

Professor Colin Riordan, chief executive and secretary general of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), said: “This latest round of scholarships, launching in universities across Ghana, India, Bangladesh and Belize in the next academic year, will go a long way to support sustainable marine environments whilst also helping the next generation of marine scientists to develop their careers, skills and knowledge through Master’s study.”

“The ACU has an impressive track record of delivering scholarship and fellowship schemes on a global scale and this initiative is a further chapter in that story. We look forward to continuing our work with the OCPP delivery partners and universities in coastal communities to protect ocean environments and support sustainable marine practices,” he added.

Neil Hornby, chief executive of Cefas, said, “Cefas is delighted to be working with the ACU to support these additional Ocean Country Partnership Programme scholarships in Ghana, India, Bangladesh, and Belize building on the success of the first round of scholarships in the South Pacific. These scholarships contribute to an enhanced knowledge base in OCPP partner countries to tackle the key marine challenges of biodiversity loss, marine pollution and sustainable seafood. This initiative broadens Cefas’ support for students internationally, creating opportunities for them to develop their science and enabling much needed scientific research to take place in these countries.”

Professor Sushil Kumar, director of research at University of the South Pacific (USP), summarised his experience of hosting the OCPP Scholarships pilot programme, “The Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) has provided an excellent opportunity to the budding researchers from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Fiji, to pursue higher research degree (Master’s and PhD) and develop skills and expertise to address the regional and global challenges in the areas of Marine Pollution, Marine Biodiversity, and sustainable seafood, supporting sustainable ocean practices.”

“The USP currently has 13 early-mid career researchers registered in Master’s and PhD programmes under the pilot OCPP scholarship programme, with backgrounds in marine and environmental management. This partnership between USP, ACU and Cefas has also provided an opportunity for USP academics to collaborate on different research projects and produce research output. The USP looks forward to having more students under this scholarship scheme, both from the region and internationally contributing to the capacity building in these areas of regional significance.”

The OCPP scholarship pilot last year was the first collaboration between the ACU and Cefas following the signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in May 2022, formalising their partnership on research capacity strengthening activities in the areas of environmental science, according to the press release.

The ACU has been appointed to administer the OCPP Scholarships on behalf of the programme. The OCPP is delivered by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).