Alina Kasimovna Abushahmanova (MEIR Student)

Dear Editors

University Hall St Andrews Graduates' Association Joint Women's Centenery/UHStAGA Postgraduate Studentships
(commemorating three centenaries; the admission of women to degrees in 1892, the foundation of University Hall - the first of the St Andrews residences - in 1896, and the formation of the Association in 1898)

For several years the University Hall St Andrews Graduates' Association (UHStAGA) has offered a postgraduate residential scholarship tenable at University Hall. The decision taken in 1998 to transfer the balance of the Woman's Centenary Fellowship moneys to UHStAGA's Scholarship Fund enabled the value of this scholarship to be increased. As a 'one-off' measure, the Association decided, for Session 2000-2001, to 'target' and emergent country and to offer both tuition fees (at the overseas rate) and residential accomodation at University Hall for two semesters of full-time study in the Faculty of Arts. It was agreed that the scholarship should also cover the cost of the return flight and travel to and from St Andrews.
Through the good offices and help of Jack Daniels and his staff and through Jack's links with Rotary, it was decided to offer this scholarship to a woman graduate from Kyrgyzstan.
The response recieved was overwhelming: there were no fewer that seventy applications - all from seemingly very well qualified young women. A short list of five candidates was drawnup, and these five were interviewed on the Association's behalf by a panel of three at Bishkek.

The successful candidate was Ms Alina Kasimovna Abushahmanova - pronounced'outstanding' by the selection panel.,br. In addition to being impressed by Ms Abushahmanova's CV, the Committee was influenced in its decision by the reasons that she gave for applying and by the uses to which she hopes to put the experience on her return to Kyrgyzstan:

'I was born and spent all my life in Kyrgyzstan and feel responsible for its future. It is a fact that for building a strong economy and developing business the nation has to have the education and training assistance of already developed countries.
My main reason for applying for the scholarship is to obtain a better education, international communication experience, new ideas and methods in management, economics and international development. With the knowledge and experience obtained in a highly developed country such as Scotland during my scholarship program, I will be able to focus on building economics and the improvement of international affairs in my home country. I will be able to assist in strengthening management at my current employment. I am sure the MEIR course at the University of St Andrews would have a great influence upon my professional career.
As I am a citizen of a developing country, I know the problems associated with the trasition from a centralised economy to a market based economy. My country urgently needs young, enthusiastic, educated specialists to deal with government bureaucrats, hyper inflation, and dual currency accounting, also to attract foreign investment and develop industry and agriculture.
If I were a student of the University of St Andrews I would gain and bring back to my nation tremendous ideas, new visions, excellent methods of work. I will share my education with others requiring it here, in Kyrgyzstan.'

Among her extra-curricular activities and interests Alina listed computer skills ('In my opinion the computer is the most amazing thing the human being has ever created') and drama ('Unfortunately, the place where I live has no theater and I miss it much. But I have another great entertainment - books. I like reading both English and Russian books').

It was interesting that MEIR topped the list of chosen courses: the great majority of candidates opted for it. The Committee is hopeful that Alina's work will be of the required standard to qualify her to proceed to the M.Litt.degree, and to that end she has now obtained the necessary one-year visa and round flight air ticket. She will be arriving in mid-September in time for the Overseas orientation weekend.

Yours sincerely,

Convener of the UHStAGA Scholarship Committee