The Khalili Foundation has been announced as the Founder Member of the newly established King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP), designed to support and uplift Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) facing significant environmental, social, and economic challenges. The fellowship programme was unveiled at an event hosted by the University of Samoa, with attendance from King Charles III, Professor Sir Nasser David Khalili, founder of the Khalili Foundation, and the Bahamian Prime Minister, Hon. Philip Davis.
The KCFP was co-created in partnership with the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and universities from across SIDS and Commonwealth nations. Inspired by His Majesty the King and supported by the Khalili Foundation’s mission to promote peace through arts, culture, and education, the programme responds directly to the urgent needs of SIDS. Small Island Developing States, including many Commonwealth nations, are among the most vulnerable globally to climate change. These regions face challenges such as extreme weather events, youth out-migration, and increasing skills shortages, which are further impacting peace and security in local communities.
The fellowship programme includes an interdisciplinary, three-strand approach, offering mid-career fellowships, undergraduate scholarships, and PhD opportunities to help build resilience within these communities and develop local expertise in areas that are essential to combatting the environmental and economic shocks they experience.
Professor Sir Nasser David Khalili, the founder of the Khalili Foundation, expressed his commitment to the programme and to the goals shared with King Charles. He stated: “We at the Khalili Foundation are honoured and proud to be the Founder Member of The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme and to support the ACU in this quest to support Small Island Developing States combat climate change. His Majesty has been at the forefront of promoting environmental sustainability and encouraging harmonious societies for many decades, issues and values that are closely aligned to our mission and priorities at the Foundation. I look forward to this being the beginning of a long and impactful partnership.”
The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme is supported by a personal donation from King Charles and seeks to provide both immediate and lasting impacts through education, innovation, and practical skills training, preparing new generations of professionals equipped to address the unique challenges of their homelands. The programme will prioritise climate change resilience, social harmony, and sustainability in communities most affected by these issues.
In its delivery, the ACU will work alongside a diverse coalition of institutions within SIDS, reinforcing a cooperative and locally informed approach to addressing the core issues that destabilise these vulnerable nations. In addition to providing financial support, the fellowship aims to build networks of knowledge exchange and collaboration among participating universities.
Prime Minister Philip Davis of the Bahamas acknowledged the significance of the KCFP in addressing long-standing issues faced by island nations and expressed hope that this initiative will create stronger, more resilient communities. The fellowship programme, he said, represents a “beacon of opportunity for the Caribbean and all Commonwealth SIDS, helping build pathways towards a sustainable future.”
With SIDS being among the most climate-impacted regions globally, the announcement of the fellowship programme highlights an urgent response from the Commonwealth and its partners to confront the realities of climate change, bridging the gap between current needs and sustainable futures for these vulnerable communities.
