Two students from Africa aim to improve healthcare in their home countries after finishing their studies at the University of Worcester.

Alice Azongo from Ghana and Calliope Ntuyenabo from Rwanda are undertaking a year-long master’s degree in Healthcare Management and Leadership as part of the Commonwealth Scholarship.

This marks their first time travelling outside Africa.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK, sponsored by the Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, aims to support future innovators and leaders from across the Commonwealth and attract foreign talent to UK universities.

The scholarship covers the students’ fees, while the university provides accommodation and a stipend for living expenses.

Ms Azongo, from Bawku in upper east Ghana, was appointed to a leadership role last year, managing a health centre and other community health facilities.

She said: "I realised I was lacking in the management skills.

"I didn’t have enough experience or training, so I needed to find a way of building myself up in order to fit well into that leadership role."

She discovered the scholarship programme and chose the course at Worcester.

Ms Azongo said: "I have always wanted to study outside of my comfort zone and experience a different culture.

"I read a little bit about the city and the university’s achievements, and I felt this would be the right place to come."

Upon completing her degree, she plans to return to Ghana to improve access to healthcare.

She said: "The management knowledge I get here I want to take back home and help my people to get quality healthcare."

Mr Ntuyenabo, who studied Biomedical Laboratory Sciences at the University of Rwanda, was working for an organisation that supports the Ministry of Health.

He said: "My country wants to eliminate viral hepatitis B and C and I was supporting health facilities to achieve this.

"But I felt like my skill set wasn’t enough to provide that support."

A friend, who had studied at a UK university, informed him about the scholarship programme.

Mr Ntuyenabo said: "I went through the course and the modules and felt it was a good fit for me.

"It’s a serious course for anyone who wants to develop themselves as a manager or leader."