The 13 students are studying through the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Chevening Scholarships Programme and the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Programme, which are administered by the British Council.

The students travelled to Cardiff for a special welcome event for international scholars studying in Wales and the South West of England.

Mamathlakwane Kodisang from South Africa is studying MSc Social Development Planning and Management through the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Programme.

The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Programme provides opportunities for exceptional individuals earmarked to become leaders in their fields of developments in their own countries.

The programme provides support for up to three years of graduate study, leading to a masters or doctoral degree. Recipients are chosen on the basis of their leadership potential and commitment to community service, as well as for academic excellence. 

This year, Swansea also welcomed its largest cohort of Chevening Scholars in any academic year.

This year's 12 Chevening Scholars are MSc Social Development Planning and Management students Mayoro Cisse from Senegal, Sewit Desta from Ethiopia, Nagwa Konda from Sudan, Michael Lotyam from Sudan, Christopher Mweembe from Zimbabwe, Hannan Tabor from Ethiopia, and Clive Smith from Anguilla; Ana Bianchi from Brazil, studying MSc Development and Communication; Mohammed Gibril from Libya, studying MA Global Politics; Masego Thamuku from Botswana, studying MA Child Welfare; Basem Sbaih from Palestine, studying MSc Development and Human Rights; and Janielle Wallace from Jamaica, studying MSc Aquaculture and Environment.

'Chevening' is the name of the official country residence of the British Foreign Secretary. In 1994 Douglas Hurd, then Foreign Secretary, renamed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Scholarships and Awards Scheme – 'The British Chevening Scholarships Programme', after Chevening House.

Competition for British Chevening scholarships, which are funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, is intense and only one in every 25 applicants is successful. Chevening scholars must study in the UK for at least three months and the majority study for postgraduate degrees, particularly Masters courses.

Neil Gaskin, International Student Adviser at Swansea University, accompanied the students to the welcome event in Cardiff, along with his colleague, Helen Lewis, International Students Accomodation Officer.

He said: "The British Council reception was a wonderful way to welcome our new scholars to Wales and to the UK. It also gave them the opportunity to meet other scholars studying in Wales and the South West of England.

"We congratulate our new students on achieveing these prestigious scholarships, which are in high demand, and we are delighted to have welcomed so many scholars to Swansea through these programmes again this year."

For more information about the Chevening Scholarships click here, and the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Programme click here.

And for more information about Swansea University's International Office click here.

Image captions:
1) Sewit Desta from Ethiopia, Masego Thamuku from Botswana, Hannan Tabor from Ethiopia (a visually impaired student), and Hannan's assistant Tigist Degu-Halle, at the welcome event.
2) Mohammed Gibril from Libya and Ana Bianchi from Brazil, at the welcome event.