King’s Fellow Joeleita Agard reflects on her time in the UK as part of our week-long celebrations of Commonwealth Day 2026.
Joeleita Agard, King's Fellow
Joeleita Agard is a King’s Fellow in the inaugural cohort of PhD candidates within the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme.
As a recently-awarded Fellow of the first cohort of the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP), I eagerly accepted the invitation from the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) to visit the UK as part of their week-long celebration for Commonwealth Day.
The week presented the unique opportunity to meet and learn from the other King’s Fellows, the ACU team and supporters of the KCFP.
The Commonwealth Day reception held at St James’s Palace was a remarkable experience. It was fitting that we all as King’s Fellows met His Majesty King Charles III during this event and briefly spoke about our research and the benefits of the KCFP.
The programme for the week also featured an online webinar, which was hosted by the ACU to showcase the KCFP. During this webinar, we shared common challenges and solutions in our diverse research fields. This was followed by an in-person evening reception at the Royal Society, which was certainly an appropriate venue for future leaders in science. During this reception, we interacted with academics from various disciplines, our country representatives to the United Kingdom and KCFP partners.
Wednesday saw us visit The Houses of Parliament for the All-Party Parliamentary Group, which highlighted the importance of driving the Commonwealth forward through education. The day ended with a visit to the public gallery in the House of Commons, during which we heard an address on Commonwealth Day, emphasising the value of the strength we have together.
To complete the week, we attended the Sustainable Markets Initiative workshop at the breathtaking Hampton Court Palace. This was an exciting and inspiring event which showcased the value of innovation and collaboration between industry and academia in promoting sustainable futures.
Connection and alignment
One common theme throughout the week was the importance of connection. As I often find myself in academic health research spaces, it was initially challenging to find common ground in rooms filled with individuals from different disciplines and interests, but surely there is always a point of connection to be made. I learned quickly to explain my research effectively and find cross-disciplinary links, which reminded me of the theme of Commonwealth Day 2026: “Unlocking opportunities together for a prosperous Commonwealth”. I believe that connecting with others is how we begin to unlock opportunities together for a prosperous Commonwealth. This has taught me to look for and seize opportunities for sharing and collaborating. One of the aims of the KCFP is to upskill Fellows, and I have learnt that this is not restricted to just academics, but extends to other areas - such as facilitating the collaborations required for prosperity and sustainability of Commonwealth SIDS.
Necessity of innovation for impact
Beyond higher education and collaboration, throughout the week there was emphasis placed on the need for innovation to support sustainable futures of Commonwealth countries. We need more research to close implementation gaps, which I plan to address in my research on dietary behaviours in persons with non-communicable diseases.
We were encouraged to take our PhD research beyond thesis documents and reports, and to share and use it to innovate to solve the pressing problems we face in Commonwealth SIDS. Being at the forefront of change as a King’s Fellow for a sustainable and healthier Commonwealth is a challenge I look forward to.
I was inspired by the revolutionary science exhibited at the Sustainable Markets Initiative in sustainable energy and biodiversity, and by the reminder from the Royal Society of the scientists (whose shoulders we stand on) who had grand visions they turned into realities and changed the world as we know it. I hope to bring this innovative mindset into the work I am currently doing and use the encouragement from KCFP partners to bridge the gap between research and implementation.
Serving with passion and vision
As I reflect on my week in the UK to celebrate Commonwealth Day I would be remiss to not acknowledge the strategic, dedicated and cohesive team at the Association of Commonwealth Universities and KCFP supporters who were integral to the development of this Fellowship and I hope for them this was as fulfilling for them as it was for me. This team coordinated, adapted and supported us during these events and I endeavour to apply similar vision and passion to my work, recognising it contributes to something larger than myself.
This brief but rewarding visit has left me with much to reflect on, and immense gratitude. I am encouraged to continue with a collaborative, strategic and innovative approach in my research, remembering, that as I pursue a higher education degree, this is not for myself but for the improvement of my country Barbados and the Commonwealth.
Learn more about the KCFP and meet the King's Fellows.
Photo credit: Teofil Rewers