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Commonwealth Correspondents

Commonwealth Students Association (CSA)

Who we are

The Commonwealth Students Association (CSA) was established in 2012 at the 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Mauritius, where student leaders convened to discuss pressing education issues and their role in the Commonwealth education sector. The organization’s primary objectives are to promote unity among student organizations in Commonwealth countries, safeguard the rights of Commonwealth students, and contribute actively to the development of student movements. The CSA strives to create an environment for student unions and movements to build their respective and collective capacities and to advocate for themselves freely.

The CSA’s newly elected executive committee, consisting of a chairperson, three vice-chairpersons, and four regional representatives, took office in October 2022. Their official installation took place on March 17, 2023, at The Central Hall in London, UK, during the Commonwealth Youth Leaders’ Summit 2023. The Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon. Patricia Scotland and many other youth leaders from various commonwealth youth networks were present at the event.

One of the CSA’s significant impacts has been its efforts to promote educational opportunities for students from Commonwealth countries. The organization has worked with governments and educational institutions to increase access to higher education and ensure that students can study in a safe and supportive environment. This has included advocating for policies that support international students, such as improved visa processes and financial assistance programs.

The CSA is also a staunch advocate for student rights and welfare. Through its campaigns and initiatives, the organization has raised awareness about mental health, student safety, and gender equality issues. By representing students from diverse backgrounds, the CSA has helped to promote inclusivity and diversity in higher education.

Additionally, the CSA has been involved in advocating for sustainability and addressing global challenges. The organization has supported initiatives aimed at tackling climate change, poverty, and inequality and has advocated for sustainable development goals.

Overall, the Commonwealth Students Association has had a significant impact on the education sector and beyond. The organization’s advocacy and initiatives have promoted access to education, empowered students, and addressed global challenges.

What we do

The Commonwealth Students Association works to promote the interests and well-being of students from Commonwealth countries. The organization engages in a variety of activities to achieve its goals, including:

  • Advocacy: The CSA advocates for policies that promote the rights and welfare of students, including access to education, mental health support, and gender equality.
  • Capacity building: The organization provides training and support to student leaders, empowering them to effect change in their communities.
  • Networking: The CSA facilitates connections among students from different Commonwealth countries, promoting cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.
  • Campaigns: The organization runs campaigns to raise awareness about issues affecting students, such as climate change and student safety.

How to get involved

If you are a student from a Commonwealth country and are interested in getting involved with the Commonwealth Students Association, there are a number of ways to do so:

  • Join your national student association: Many Commonwealth countries have national student associations that are affiliated with the CSA. By joining your local association, you can become part of a larger network of students and participate in CSA activities and events.
  • Attend CSA events: The organization holds a variety of events throughout the year, including conferences, workshops, and training sessions. Attending these events can provide opportunities to network with other students and learn about important issues affecting the Commonwealth.
  • Volunteer: The CSA relies on volunteers to help with its activities and campaigns. By volunteering your time and skills, you can make a meaningful contribution to the organization’s mission.
  • Follow the CSA on social media: The organization maintains an active presence on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Following the CSA on these platforms can help you stay up-to-date on its activities and opportunities for involvement.

Electoral Guidelines and Rules

Read our electoral guidelines and rules here.

Meet the CSA Executive:

Chairperson of the Commonwealth Students' Association
Benjamin Fraser

“Except the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it…” From serving as Students’ Council President at Ardenne High to serving in various roles in the National Secondary Students’ Council, the Jamaica Union of Tertiary Students and as Caribbean and Americas Representative in the Commonwealth Students’ Association; this Text has guided Benjamin in honouring his responsibilities. Along with his first-year colleagues at the University of the West Indies, he co-founded ‘Called to Lead Jamaica’, which has mobilized youth leaders to mentor secondary students from underserved communities in 300 interactive sessions since March 2017.

Benjamin is a practicing Attorney-at-Law in Jamaica. He recently published the Kids Speak Funbook, a confidence-building and soft skills development tool that introduces children to public speaking. He is passionate about community service, social justice and education. During his tenure as Chairman, Benjamin has committed to prioritise the transformation of the CSA by (i) widening the scope of its advocacy to represent students at all levels starting from early childhood to post-graduate, (ii) reforming the CSA’s financial and administrative infrastructure through enterprising and strategic partnerships and (iii) improving its grassroots engagement through fit for purpose projects funded by the CSA and designed by member organizations.

Vice-Chairperson, Advocacy & Partnerships, Commonwealth Students Association
Christina Williams

Christina Williams, a proud Jamaican, is a graduate of the University of the West Indies with degrees in Law, International Relations, and Policy.  She has been a key player in the recent developments of higher education in her country evidenced through her commendable tenure as one of the youngest Guild Presidents of the UWI, Mona where she  led the successful effort of reducing student de-registration by 99.9% and the historical revision of the institution’s 70-year-old health policy, which now allows students to access healthcare island-wide. Later during the pandemic, she helped to lead the charge in the zero rating of over 100 online learning platforms to ensure equitable digital access. Christina currently serves as the first female President of the Jamaica Union of Tertiary Students  in its 47- year history acting as the bridge between Government interventions and student-led solutions for over 30 higher education institutions.

Internationally she is the newly elected Head of President of Advocacy & Partnerships for the Commonwealth Students Association. In her country, Christina  also sits on numerous Government boards and committees where she is helping to develop and implement education policy. It is this diverse experience of being a student leader and education practitioner  that Christina intends to bring to the CSA.

Vice President, Democracy and Participation, Commonwealth Students Association
Muhammad Adeyemi

Muhammad is a 23-year-old student leader and UNESCO scholar at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. Growing up, two things were evident, he loves education and he’s naturally curious. He’s presently pursuing an undergraduate study in the field of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.  Muhammad is an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual with a good understanding of knowledge with exceptional creativity and problem-solving skills.

He has held various leadership positions in students’ associations and volunteered with many reputable national and globally recognised organisations. Muhammad is a progressive thinker, development practitioner and result-oriented leader. He is a visionary and courageous leader who works at the convergence of political activism, good governance, maintenance of peace, justice and strong institutions. He is an outstanding and productive young leader who has a tremendous future ahead of him in the educational and leadership arena.

Muhammad is an outstanding public speaker and currently serves as the Founder and Convener of UDUS Scholars’ Forum. It is the first such forum in Nigeria that seeks and promotes access to opportunities for all young people from the most vulnerable backgrounds to be free, safe and well-educated. He is the Vice President-elect, Democracy and Participation, Commonwealth Students Association.

Caribbean and Americas Regional Representative
Alicia Ramdal

Alicia Ramdal is an Attorney-at-Law hailing from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. For the past decade, Alicia has actively contributed to youth spaces serving in several capacities, including the UN75 Global Peace Convener for Trinidad & Tobago and the President of the Norman Manley Law School Students’ Association in Jamaica. Alicia has amassed great experience frequently participating in important discussions, both locally and internationally, focused on global issues such as inequitable access to education, gender justice and human rights. She has demonstrated her enthusiasm about volunteerism and humanitarianism by spear-heading numerous youth and community development projects including tuition scholarships, tutoring programmes and initiatives geared at raising awareness and amplifying the voices of marginalized groups. 

Alicia currently serves as an executive member of the Caribbean Women in Leadership T&T Chapter where she works towards advancing women’s political participation and transformational leadership and also serves on various boards and committees of youth and development focused organizations. She considers herself to be a Caribbean citizen and is committed to developing a region where young people are liberated, educated and empowered.

Asia Regional Representative
Falit Sijariya

Falit Sijariya is India’s G20 Youth Representative consecutively for two years and member of the Steering Committee of G20 Youth Summit 2023. He also serves as the President of the Academic Cell of the Delhi University Students’ Union representing 0.3 Million+ students. Besides these, he is the Founder-President of Studomatrix, an international school students’ organization with 100,000+ students across 150+ cities, which is working towards providing skill development and experiential learning platforms to students in primarily Tier-2 and 3 cities. He acts as the harbinger of the school student movement in the global South. He also served on the GSF Working group on UNESCO World Higher Education Conference and the Global Student Declaration. Here, he co-authored two position papers for the UNESCO WHEC.

He was also an invited panellist at the Asia-Pacific Launch of the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report and an invited author for UNESCO on student issues. He regularly publishes on international relations and geopolitics.  He also has a strong experience in ground level mobilisation, where he organised 100,000+ students of Delhi University for a successful class suspension strike during the second wave of Covid-19 in India.

To the CSA Asia region, he brings forth a vision of holistic and inclusive growth of the student community. He brings with him a diverse experience in transnational communication and team-building. His efforts have been highlighted by top-publications across India.

Africa Regional Representative of the Commonwealth Students' Association
Francis Azubuike

Francis Azubuike, a passionate student leader,  is a graduate of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, where he studied Architecture and served as the 35th President of the Ambrose Alli University-Architecture Students Association [AAU-ASA] and the 34th Secretary-General of the Association before his emergence. As a creative content writer and developer, Francis has demonstrated an unparalleled interest in Youth and Children’s holistic development, evidenced through his published articles and writings, where he advocates for a better world. Francis has a firm belief in an all-inclusive, equal and transformative education, irrespective of class, colour, cultural background, social status, nationality or ethnic diversity.  Originally from Orlu -the largest metropolis in the South-East, Nigeria, Francis is an Associate Member of Amnesty International – a global movement of more than 10 million people in over 150 countries and territories who campaign to end abuses of human rights. He’s also an International member of the World Youth Alliance – a youth-led organisation standing for the dignity of every human person, from conception to natural death, around the world. He sits on a number of committees including the Commonwealth Africa Youth and Students Summit Task Force. 

Currently, he serves as the Scribe & Contents Associate for the Association of Nigerian Chartered Architects [ANCA] -one of the two professionally recognized bodies of architects in Nigeria, and coordinates her National Students bodyʼs activities, social programs and social media handles for effective delivery. Francis holds a Dip.Arch from The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, and a B.Arch. from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.

It is this diverse experience of being a student leader and good governance advocate that Francis brings to bear in his role as the CSA’s Africa Regional Representative and Chair of the Africa Regional Committee, where he oversees representations from 21 member countries -the region with the largest constituency in the Commonwealth.

Pacific Regional Representative
Bradley Yombon-Copio

A recent graduate from the University of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the field of Dentistry, Bradley is currently a practicing Dental Surgeon doing his residency at the largest referral hospital in the PNG. He was formerly the Student Council President at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) in 2021, and served as the first President since the student councils abolishment in 2016. He played a crucial role in revitalising student representation in the country. Having a long history of Student leadership and youth representation, Bradley is not new to leadership and youth representation. He is a mediator and community leader amongst youths in his country and a passionate advocate in Healthcare and Education in PNG. Bradley actively represented the Pacific through the Global Student forum (GSF) in the Global Peoples summit 2022 and was a part of a Pacific Panel run by UNESCO on the Global Education Monitoring Youth Report 2022. Bradley is passionate about his country, cultural heritage and his people all across the Pacific.

Coordinator, Commonwealth Student Association (CSA) Network
Precious Ebere

Precious Ebere is a 2020 Chevening scholar, educational analyst, EDTech professional and Community Development Specialist with experience across policy, education, technology, civic leadership and youth engagement. Precious studied Social and Public Policy at Cardiff University, United Kingdom. She has led various youth-led organizations in different capacities and sits on leadership & advisory positions of multiple international organizations such as the Young African Leaders Initiative Abuja (an initiative of the US Government in Nigeria), “DO” (dotakeaction.org), a UNESCO Read and Earn Federation (UNESCO REF). Precious has over six years of experience working in the development sector with NGOs, INGOs and Companies in development and local governance. She has worked with approximately  100  stakeholders in four  African countries, including Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and the United Kingdom.

In 2021, Precious was selected as the first Nigerian to coordinate the Commonwealth Student Association (CSA) Network, United Kingdom. Precious is interested in Data, Policy and Advocacy and has gained significant hands-on experience in various skills-set in Research and Data Analysis, Leadership, Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Management, Strategic Planning etc.

Reports

The Constitution of the Commonwealth Students’ Association

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How to join

If you are interested in helping set up Commonwealth networks focused on health or peace-building, please contact the Secretariat’s Youth Division for information about ways to contribute.

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Who we are

The Commonwealth Students Association (CSA) was established in 2012 at the 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Mauritius, where student leaders convened to discuss pressing education issues and their role in the Commonwealth education sector. The organization’s primary objectives are to promote unity among student organizations in Commonwealth countries, safeguard the rights of Commonwealth students, and contribute actively to the development of student movements. The CSA strives to create an environment for student unions and movements to build their respective and collective capacities and to advocate for themselves freely.

The CSA’s newly elected executive committee, consisting of a chairperson, three vice-chairpersons, and four regional representatives, took office in October 2022. Their official installation took place on March 17, 2023, at The Central Hall in London, UK, during the Commonwealth Youth Leaders’ Summit 2023. The Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon. Patricia Scotland and many other youth leaders from various commonwealth youth networks were present at the event.

One of the CSA’s significant impacts has been its efforts to promote educational opportunities for students from Commonwealth countries. The organization has worked with governments and educational institutions to increase access to higher education and ensure that students can study in a safe and supportive environment. This has included advocating for policies that support international students, such as improved visa processes and financial assistance programs.

The CSA is also a staunch advocate for student rights and welfare. Through its campaigns and initiatives, the organization has raised awareness about mental health, student safety, and gender equality issues. By representing students from diverse backgrounds, the CSA has helped to promote inclusivity and diversity in higher education.

Additionally, the CSA has been involved in advocating for sustainability and addressing global challenges. The organization has supported initiatives aimed at tackling climate change, poverty, and inequality and has advocated for sustainable development goals.

Overall, the Commonwealth Students Association has had a significant impact on the education sector and beyond. The organization’s advocacy and initiatives have promoted access to education, empowered students, and addressed global challenges.

What we do

The Commonwealth Students Association works to promote the interests and well-being of students from Commonwealth countries. The organization engages in a variety of activities to achieve its goals, including:

  • Advocacy: The CSA advocates for policies that promote the rights and welfare of students, including access to education, mental health support, and gender equality.
  • Capacity building: The organization provides training and support to student leaders, empowering them to effect change in their communities.
  • Networking: The CSA facilitates connections among students from different Commonwealth countries, promoting cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.
  • Campaigns: The organization runs campaigns to raise awareness about issues affecting students, such as climate change and student safety.

How to get involved

If you are a student from a Commonwealth country and are interested in getting involved with the Commonwealth Students Association, there are a number of ways to do so:

  • Join your national student association: Many Commonwealth countries have national student associations that are affiliated with the CSA. By joining your local association, you can become part of a larger network of students and participate in CSA activities and events.
  • Attend CSA events: The organization holds a variety of events throughout the year, including conferences, workshops, and training sessions. Attending these events can provide opportunities to network with other students and learn about important issues affecting the Commonwealth.
  • Volunteer: The CSA relies on volunteers to help with its activities and campaigns. By volunteering your time and skills, you can make a meaningful contribution to the organization’s mission.
  • Follow the CSA on social media: The organization maintains an active presence on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Following the CSA on these platforms can help you stay up-to-date on its activities and opportunities for involvement.

Electoral Guidelines and Rules

Read our electoral guidelines and rules here.

Meet the CSA Executive: