The British High Commissioner, Matt Woods, hosted a send-off reception for some 15 Cameroonian scholars who are heading to the UK for Master’s and PhD studies under Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships.
The event at the British Residence in Yaounde on Wednesday, September 4, 2025, unfolded under the watchful eye of the Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External Relations in charge of relations with the Commonwealth, Felix Mbayu.
The 2025 cohort of the scholars is made up of eight Chevening and seven Commonwealth grantees who are going to pursue studies in the UK across diverse fields including Climate and Nature, Finance, Public Health, and Development Studies at various universities.
The Chevening programme provides financial support to outstanding individuals with leadership potential to study postgraduate courses at universities across the UK. While the Commonwealth Scholarship is one of the UK Government’s flagship international scholarship programmes designed to support talented individuals to pursue fully funded postgraduate studies at UK universities and equip them with the knowledge and skills needed for sustainable development, while fostering leadership and innovation upon their return home.
In his address to the scholars and the participants, Matt Woods praised the exercise for fostering bilateral relations between London and Yaounde.
Minister Felix Mbayu on his part echoed the name of Cameroon with pride as it is the pioneer in setting a special ministerial duty for the Commonwealth—which he incarnates.
He further saluted the patriotism of the Cameroonian scholars who always return home after their studies to build their country with the skills acquired.
In another remark that invited a round of applause, he praised the quality of Cameroonian universities, noting that Cameroonian scholars always finish their courses well.
Among the courses to be taken in the United Kingdom, Boning Ngueko Nervis’ Cancer Molecular Biology and Therapeutics received a special ovation from the minister and the people in the hall.
Speaking to NewsWatch, 20-year-old Nervis expressed gratitude for the opportunity—a fully-funded scholarship at a prestigious UK university.
Recounting his tough journey and the key to his success, he said: “One of the things that made me stand out was the fact that I’m teachable, and that’s one thing most young people out there lack today. They believe they know too much and are not ready to learn from anyone.”
He added that the uniqueness of his story also contributed to the success, urging fellow Cameroonians to grab the opportunity as well by preparing well.
It is worth noting that the scholarships are available to all Commonwealth member states without any age limits.
