Trust staff member is first nurse to become a Schwarzman Scholar
Lloyd Nunag, team leader for the surgery and oncology research team at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, has become the first ever nurse to be awarded the prestigious Schwarzman Scholarship.
The Schwarzman Scholarship is a highly selective programme which supports up to 200 Scholars annually from around the world for a one-year master’s in global affairs at Beijing’s Tsinghua University. Lloyd has been awarded one of 151 places on the programme, from an initial pool of over 3000 applicants.
The Schwarzman Scholars are preparing to be the next generation of global leaders and meet the challenges of the future. It was inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University in an effort to promote international understanding and peace.
Scholars were selected through a rigorous application process designed to identify leadership potential, intellect, and strength of character. Candidates from 55 countries spoke with panels of CEOs, government officials, university presidents, journalists, and non-profit executives, among others.
Speaking of his scholarship, Lloyd said: “I believe that nurses are leaders too and, as a young leader representing more than 28 million nurses worldwide, my engagement as a Schwarzman Scholar will be crucial at a critical juncture in global health, when science and public health are being challenged. Above all, this opportunity will help to further transform my impact in a way that will benefit the communities I am serving and representing.
“I strongly believe that patient advocacy and nursing goes far beyond the four corners of the hospital. There is a need for nurses to receive more attention, including through education of policymakers and strengthening collaborations with stakeholders working on health and beyond.”
Lloyd will live in Beijing for a year of intensive study and cultural immersion – attending lectures, workshops, and discussion groups; being mentored and advised by leaders across sectors; and traveling while developing a better understanding of China and its role on a global scale.
Experienced in global leadership through his work outside of the Trust, Lloyd has worked to promote Universal Health Coverage (UHC) worldwide and was the youngest delegate at a historic United Nations (UN) meeting on this topic. A political declaration on UHC was signed at the UN to make that happen in every country.
Congratulating Lloyd on his achievement, Helen Jones, lead nurse for clinical research workforce, said: "Massive congratulations to Lloyd for this prestigious award. Lloyd is a key member of our clinical research delivery workforce and by applying for this award, he has demonstrated his dynamic ambitions and desire to progress his leadership skills from an international perspective. This programme will enable Lloyd to be immersed in the Chinese culture and study alongside peers from across a wide range of cultures and professions, and to bring these skills back to the NHS and clinical research. Being the first nurse to achieve this award will enable Lloyd to lead the way for future nurses to apply. Well done Lloyd, you are an inspiration."
The vision of Schwarzman Scholars is to bring together the world’s best young minds to explore and understand the economic, political and cultural factors that have contributed to China’s increasing importance as a global power, and train them to become effective links between China and the rest of the world.
