British Ambassador Michael Aron presented the Chevening Scholarship Award and the Dame Violet Dickson Award to Nadeyah Al-Reiahi , at a reception held at the British Embassy Monday evening.
The Chevening Scholarship - awarded to both males and females - and the Dame Violet Dickson Award - granted to females only - are funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and administered by the British Council.
The prestigious award enables overseas students to study in the UK alongside scholars from the other countries and to become significant members of the knowledge and culture-sharing learning global network.
"The scheme is offered in over 150 countries and enables talented graduates and young professionals to become familiar with the UK and gain skills which will benefit themselves and their countries," said Ambassador Aron at the reception.
The Chevening Program currently provides around 2,300 new scholarships worldwide each year for postgraduate studies or research at institutions of higher education in the UK, he noted.
He said that it was an "honor" to be able to take part in this process of identifying "superb" students to study in the UK.
Ambassador Aron took this opportunity to launch the Chevening Program for 2010-2011, saying that individuals holding a bachelors degree who were interested in pursuing a one-year Masters program in the UK could apply online until the first week of January 2010.
On this occasion, he also bid farewell to the outgoing British Council Director Graham McCulloch and welcomed the new Director Stephen Forbes.
Meanwhile, Nadeyah Al-Reiahi told KUNA on the sidelines of the event that as a holder of a Bachelor's degree in English from Kuwait University, she found the advertisement for the Chevening Scholarship enticing. "I applied, but I didn't expect to be selected." She noted the long and difficult process of applying and sitting examinations that led up to her clinching the award.
Moreover, she said that having worked for three years as a teacher of English at a private school in Kuwait, she aspired to enhance her experience with a Masters in "Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages" from the University of Nottinghill.
Al-Reiahi said that this would be her first time away from home and her first time in the UK, describing this as "a new adventure" that she was excited to engage in. "It is an honor to represent Kuwait, and I feel blessed at having been given this opportunity not only to gain new skills and knowledge at the professional level, but also to learn more about the UK and introduce people there to aspects of Kuwait's culture and tradition." She will be leaving for the UK on September 7.
The reception was attended by prominent education professionals, members of Kuwait Association of British Alumni (KABA), and staff members of the British Embassy and the British Council.

Kuna