QES Program
The Queen Elizabeth Scholars (QES) program helps young Canadians grow into global citizens through international student exchange and civic engagement, while promoting Canada as a destination for the world’s top talent and international research leaders.
Students and researchers selected for the scholarship program engage with communities across the globe, learn about cultures and create projects and actions that impact the world. They join a global community of Queen Elizabeth Scholars to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and collaborate on meaningful initiatives.
Achieving Research and Knowledge Translation Capacity for Climate Change Resilience, Food Security and Sustainable Livelihoods in West Africa :
In 2021, Western received $300,000 from the QES Advanced Scholars West Africa program to support doctoral researchers and postdoctoral scholars from eligible West African countries and Canada, to focus on research and scholarship in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and with special focus on SDG #5 – Gender Equality. The funding enabled the exchange of 1 male and I female Western PhD scholars and 1 2 f emale and 4 male early career and PhD scholars from partner universities in Benin, Liberia, Senegal, Nigeria and Ghana.
Together, they focus ed on issues related to climate change and sustainable livelihoods , to improve social development – including better health, gender equity, empowerment of disadvantaged groups, good governance of land resources, and enhanced knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices.
This program ended in December, 2025.
Past QES Projects
The Africa Institute at Western was first awarded QES scholarship funding in 2015. Since then, Western students have had the opportunity to take part in experiential learning experiences in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, and Tanzania. In addition, several Faculties at Western have hosted graduate students from Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania enrolled through the Collaborative Graduate Program in Global Health Systems.
VIEW PROGRAM ALUMNIThe Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships (QES) program is managed through a unique partnership of Universities Canada, the Rideau Hall Foundation, and Canadian universities. The QES Advanced Scholars West Africa program is made possible with financial support from the International Development Research Centre.
For more information on QES and to follow the activities of our Scholars please visit: https://www.queenelizabethscholars.ca/
