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REMEMBERING THE QUEEN

QES receives legacy gift from the Government of Canada

The Queen Elizabeth Scholars Program

To anyone who’s had an educational experience overseas, there is little doubt of the life-changing impact it can have. Students and researchers who have studied or worked abroad often come back with a new sense of self, of their own abilities and strength, and a better understanding of what they find personally fulfilling.

“My participation as a Queen Elizabeth Scholar was unquestionably one of the highlights and formative experiences in my Masters program.”

Keisha JeffriesDalhousie University

Initiative Features

Develop

global citizens through enriched academic, professional and cross-cultural experiences.

Activate

a new generation of enterprising leaders in Canada and around the world by facilitating local and global community engagement.

Enhance

collaborative capacity and peer relationships among Scholars to enrich their experience and facilitate personal and professional growth.

Enable

Scholars to pursue and amplify community development in Canada and globally.

Upon the announcement of her passing, the Rideau Hall Foundation and Universities Canada joined fellow Canadians and people around the world in commemorating Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“Access to knowledge and learning shape a country’s future and advancement. As such, we have a duty to enable our youth to become engaged citizens and offer them fantastic opportunities to develop new skills and connect with others. The Queen Elizabeth Scholars program is doing just that, by laying the foundation for our next generation of leaders with innovative minds and a sense of engagement to Canada and the world. In achieving this goal, the QES program will be a permanent and tangible tribute to Her Majesty The Queen, who through a lifetime of service has embodied this sense of leadership and commitment.”

The Right Honourable David JohnstonChair, Rideau Hall Foundation and 28th Governor General of Canada

The Scholarships

The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships aim to mobilize a dynamic community of young global leaders to create lasting impacts both at home and abroad through inter-cultural exchanges encompassing international education, discovery and inquiry, and professional experiences.

Key achievements to date

  • more than 2,300 scholarships awarded to date
  • 46 Canadian universities have successfully competed for QES project funding
  • 106 projects have been funded at those universities
  • Queen Elizabeth Scholars have gone to or come from 76 countries
  • 650 partner organizations abroad have been engaged (universities, NGOs, research institutes)
  • total value of the program is $80 million

Founding partners:

Platform support provided by:

About Queen Elizabeth Scholars

This collaborative initiative is made possible through the leadership of the Rideau Hall Foundation, in collaboration with Community Foundations of Canada, Universities Canada, and Canadian universities.