HEC awards MPhil/PhD, DBA and Postdoctoral Scholarships

The Minister of Tertiary Education, Science and Research, Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon, handed over Mphil/PhD/Doctor of Business Administration and Post Doctoral Fellowship Scholarships of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to nineteen awardees, during a ceremony held today at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE) in Réduit.

The Chairman and the Commissioner of the HEC, Dr Ashveen Kumar Kissoonah and Professor Romeela Mohee as well as the Director of the MIE, Mrs Mila Devi Sewruttun-Dosieah, were among the attendees.

In his remarks, Minister Sukon congratulated the awardees for distinguishing themselves during the selection process, particularly through their choice of research topics addressing issues of national importance. He stressed that doctoral research should focus more strongly on challenges that matter at the national level.

In this context, he pointed out that Mauritius is confronted with several challenges, including climate change and limited water resources, which underscore the need for research aimed at developing concrete and sustainable solutions. He thus highlighted the importance of the industrial doctoral programmes in contributing to the resolution of national challenges, emphasising that stronger collaboration between industry stakeholders and academia is essential.

Furthermore, Dr Sukon referred to amendments brought to the HEC Act last year and highlighted the introduction of the Research Excellence Framework, which will provide a mechanism to assess and strengthen the quality and impact of research.

For his part, Dr Kissoonah reiterated the HEC's vision of promoting the development of higher education and training facilities through equitable access, high-quality learning and research, efficient use of national resources, and innovation.

He observed that the HEC contributes to the advancement of knowledge and the development of the nation, strengthens national capacity and supports the emergence of a vibrant knowledge-based society.

As for Professor Mohee, she underlined the pivotal role of the HEC in supporting the national research ecosystem and making meaningful investments in capacity building. She highlighted that the scholarships are being awarded in fields relevant to the country's development and resilience, including sustainable development, artificial intelligence, ICT governance, law and physical sciences, among others.

Between 2016 and 2026, around 230 scholarships have been awarded by the HEC for research programmes. The scheme, she added, currently supports 81 students.

13 August 2026

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Topics: Education