Canadians Shocked by Britain's Decision on Prestigious Scholarship Program

Canadian supporters of Commonwealth scholarships for graduate students say the British government’s recent decision to bar applicants from developed countries like Canada is “short-sighted” and “a slap in the face,” according to today’s Globe and Mail, a Toronto-based newspaper.

The scholarship program, now in its 50th year, will remain open to students from developing countries, particularly those seen as most closely aligned with Britain’s foreign-policy interests, such as China and India.

The shift was announced quietly in a written ministerial statement presented in Parliament in March by David Miliband, Britain’s secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs.

“We will maintain a global scheme, but we will focus scholarships particularly on those countries, such as China and India, which are going to be most important to our foreign-policy success over coming years,” the statement said.

The changes, which were opposed by Britain’s university association, are expected to save the British government nearly $20-million a year.

Current Canadian recipients of the scholarships will be allowed to finish their degree programs. About 30 Canadians each year have received the scholarships — some 1,500 in all since 1960.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=810347&forum_id=1#9749542)