The Tribune

The Charles Hayward Foundation has agreed to provide funding for the first-ever Bahamian partnership with the prestigious Chevening Scholarship programme, allowing outstanding Bahamian students to pursue fully-funded master’s degree studies at accredited universities in the UK, in fields related to building a sustainable future for The Bahamas.

The Charles Hayward Foundation Chevening Award will support postgraduate courses in ecological/sustainable development, oceanography, marine biology, natural resource management and other disciplines related to climate and the environment.

Sue Heath, née Hayward, chair of the Foundation’s board of trustees, said: “The Hayward’s family has a long history of contributing to community development in The Bahamas, from the Charles Hayward Library, to the Jack Hayward High School and the beloved Regency Theatre, among many others. The Foundation is very excited to continue this tradition through a new partnership with Chevening which will help the next generation of leaders acquire the skills and knowledge to rise to the challenges of the future.”

Chevening is the UK government’s leading international scholarship programme. Administered by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations, it enables emerging leaders from around the world to pursue one-year master’s degrees in Britain. This new partnership will fund one scholarship per year for three academic years and can be renewed in 2026.

British High Commissioner to The Bahamas Tom Hartley said: “I am so proud that our High Commission has signed a Partnership Agreement with the Charles Hayward Foundation. This award is special because it supports a Bahamian Government priority policy area: tackling climate change. We are excited about announcing the 2023 winner of the Charles Hayward Foundation’s Chevening scholarship soon. That winner will get a full Chevening scholarship from The Charles Hayward Foundation for a Master’s degree related to climate/environment at any accredited university in the UK.”

Hartley said the scholarship includes tuition, accommodation, stipend, and return air travel. Applications have closed for courses starting in 2023. “I strongly encourage Bahamians who are interested in leadership and climate action next year to apply for the Chevening Scholarship during the August to November application period. You can find out more at Chevening.org. “Thank you to the Hayward Foundation for taking the lead in forging this first ever partnership between The Bahamas and Great Britain,” he added.

Rupert Hayward, director of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and great grand-son of the Foundation’s founder, said: “Preparing young Bahamians for the future is a great passion of my family. It is our aim to give them access to the expertise necessary to confront and find solutions for the climate crisis and other ecological challenges which disproportionately impact The Bahamas as a low-lying coastal nation, for example coastal erosion, loss of marine habitat and stronger storms.

“We want to give them the opportunity to become leaders in sustainability in the country, equipped to take advantage of the exciting cutting-edge employment opportunities in sustainable development and climate resilience, while also creating diverse jobs for many other Bahamians in the blue and green economies. We believe these scholarships will give outstanding students the opportunity to achieve all this and more.”

Sir Charles Hayward, one of the first significant investors in the Grand Bahama Port Authority, used his personal fortune to develop Freeport into the country’s second city and to endow the Hayward Foundation, which today provides funding in areas such as: social and criminal justice; heritage and conservation; and improving the livelihoods of disadvantaged communities in Commonwealth countries.

The Chevening Scholarships Programme began in 1983 as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Awards Scheme (FCOAS) and is funded by the British government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its partner organisations. The objective of the scheme is to build a network of friends of the UK, who will be future leaders in their countries.