Tweet

Emerging leaders from across the region earn prestigious UK Government awards for postgraduate study

CARIBBEAN REGION — August 25, 2026 — A new generation of Caribbean professionals is preparing to take its talents to the United Kingdom after being selected for the prestigious 2026/2027 Chevening Scholarship programme, one of the UK Government’s flagship international academic awards.

And the Caribbean is shining.

Among the awardees publicly announced so far are professionals working across diplomacy, environmental protection, communications, sustainable energy and regional development.

In St. Kitts and Nevis, Foreign Service Officer and former CARICOM Youth Ambassador Denaula Laplace has been awarded a Chevening Scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies in Public Relations and Strategic Communication at City St George’s, University of London.

Trinidad and Tobago will be represented by Tenika Griffith and Kaveer Phillip.

Griffith, an Environmental Crime Analyst at CARICOM IMPACS and geospatial specialist, will pursue an MSc in Climate Change, Science and Policy at the University of Bristol.

Phillip, a chemical and process engineer, has been selected as the 2026 Proman Foundation–Chevening Scholar and will pursue an MSc in Sustainable Energy Systems at the University of Edinburgh. His professional interests include decarbonisation, sustainability and cleaner energy development.

The selections once again highlight the extraordinary depth of young Caribbean talent.

Chevening is funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations, providing successful candidates with support to undertake postgraduate study at UK universities while becoming part of an international network of leaders and professionals.

The programme has developed a strong Caribbean footprint over decades, producing alumni who have gone on to contribute across government, business, diplomacy, education, law, communications, environmental management and civil society.

For small Caribbean states, these opportunities carry significance far beyond an individual degree.

They strengthen regional human capital.

They build international networks.

And they provide Caribbean professionals with access to specialised knowledge that can ultimately be brought home and applied to some of the region’s biggest development challenges.

The 2026 cohort also arrives as the United Kingdom expands its focus on Small Island Developing States, with a new Chevening SIDS initiative expected to welcome its first scholars to Britain in autumn 2026. The UK says the initiative will include additional opportunities designed to build connections among emerging SIDS leaders.

Additional Caribbean Chevening awardees are expected to be highlighted through country and regional announcements.

For those hoping to follow them, applications for the 2027/2028 Chevening Scholarships opened on August 4, 2026 and are scheduled to close on October 6, 2026 at 11:00 UTC.

From small islands to some of Britain’s leading universities, another Caribbean generation is stepping forward.

Big dreams. Global classrooms. Caribbean talent on the rise.

#TimesCaribbean #Chevening #CheveningScholarship #CaribbeanExcellence #UKinCaribbean #StudyUK #CaribbeanYouth #Education #StKittsAndNevis #TrinidadAndTobago