More young people will have the chance to benefit from life-changing scholarships allowing them to study at universities across the Commonwealth, thanks to a £5 million boost from the Department for Education.

The Education Secretary has announced the additional investment ahead of an event aimed at helping improve the quality of girls’ education across the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth Foreign Secretaries will attend the launch of the Girls’ Education Campaign to encourage a step-change in the quality of girls’ education globally, as part of this week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London and Windsor. It is the largest summit of its kind in UK history and a truly global event with young people at its centre.

This investment follows the Education Secretary’s appearance at the Youth Forum earlier this week where HRH Prince Harry, in his first speech as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, announced the £13.4 million fund was being renamed the “Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships” in honour of HM The Queen.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:

For young people across the Commonwealth, sharing in this partnership presents a unique opportunity to learn about other cultures. It also gives us the chance to share learning from our respective education systems and to draw inspiration from across the globe, so that every child gets the education they deserve.

This investment builds on this celebrated relationship by offering even more young people around the world the opportunity to further their education at a Commonwealth university abroad.

Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships will provide life-changing experiences for young leaders with the energy and talent to make a difference in their home countries and beyond. The scheme will offer study opportunities not previously available and widen collaboration across the Commonwealth.

The UK’s £5 million contribution to the fund, which will increase the total to £13.4 million, will mean that an additional 150 students can benefit from a Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarship by 2025. While the fund is open to recipients from all Commonwealth countries, the new £5 million contribution announced today will be targeted at students from countries that are eligible for overseas development assistance (ODA) and who are looking to further their studies at leading universities in low and middle income countries.

The first Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholars will begin their studies in 2019, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Commonwealth and the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan.

Brie Stevens-Hoare (Barrister) and Sarah Lee (Solicitor) have been appointed as Professional Commissioners from 9 April 2018 to 8 April 2021, and HHJ Anuja Dhir has been appointed as a Circuit Judge Commissioner from 9 June 2018 to 8 June 2021.

JAC is an independent body that selects candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and for some tribunals with UK-wide jurisdiction. Candidates are selected on merit, through fair and open competition.

JAC Commissioners are appointed by Her Majesty the Queen on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor.

Appointments and re-appointments to JAC are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. These appointments have been made in line with the Commissioner’s Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.

Biographies

Sarah Lee

Sarah Lee was appointed to JAC as a professional (solicitor) member on 9 April 2018.

Sarah qualified as a solicitor in 1990. She was appointed as a partner of Slaughter and May in 1999 and sits on the firm’s Partnership Board.

She is currently Head of the Dispute Resolution Group. Her practice covers all aspects of major commercial disputes, often involving multiple jurisdictions.

Sarah is an accredited Centre for Effective Dispute Accreditation mediator and trustee, and member of the Management Committee of the Royal Courts of Justice Legal Advice Bureau.

Brie Stevens-Hoare QC

Brie Stevens-Hoare was appointed to JAC as a professional (barrister) member on 9 April 2018.

She has been in practice as a self-employed barrister since 1986 and became a Queen’s Counsel in 2013.

Brie is a property specialist whose practice extends to probate and professional negligence. She leads the property team at Hardwicke.

She was appointed as a Deputy Adjudicator to HM Land Registry in 2005 and sits as a fee-paid judge of the First-tier Tribunal, Property Chamber (Land Registration Division). She is also a regular mediator through the tribunal and otherwise.

Brie was chair of the London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association (LCLCBA) and is currently Vice Chair of the Property Bar Association. She has also previously served on Bar Council and Bar Standards Board committees. Brie was a founder member of FreeBar the Bar Community LGBT+ group and a Bencher at Lincoln’s Inn where she is actively involved in advocacy training and equality and diversity issues.

Her Honour Judge Anuja Dhir QC

Anuja Dhir QC will be appointed to JAC as a judicial member from 9 June 2018.

Anuja was appointed as a judge at the Old Bailey in 2017, a Circuit Judge in 2012 and a Recorder in 2010. In 2018 Anuja was authorised to sit in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.

Anuja was called to the Bar in 1989. She practised as a barrister for 23 years, mainly in crime and from 2007 as a special advocate in national security cases.

Anuja was a member of a number of Bar Council committees, including the equality committee, the professional conduct committee and the law reform committee.

Anuja has been involved in advocacy training in the UK and abroad for over 20 years. In 2015 she was appointed as a Tutor Judge for the Judicial College.

Commenting on today’s release, Dr Michelle Meadows, Deputy Chief Regulator, said: