The December chill on the Leicester campus of De Montfort University (DMU) in the run up to Christmas is a far cry from the balmy weather of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific where the year-round average temperature is 27°C (80.6 °F).
But Dalcy Belapitu Oligari is delighted to find herself acclimatising to winter here in the East Midlands.
The Solomon Islander is paying her first visit to the UK to study for a Master of Sustainability, Social Justice and Human Rights Law at DMU thanks to a prestigious Chevening Scholarship from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
“The Solomon Islands is pretty warm all throughout the year, so this is all new for me, but I am adjusting to it, and I've bought myself some winter clothes,” said Dalcy, a lawyer by training who sits as a magistrate back home in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara.
Unlike the UK, where magistrates are generally lay people, in the Solomon Islands they are experienced and legally qualified professionals who preside over criminal and civil cases like a judge.
DMU's Leicester campus in winter.
Dalcy is one of six Solomon Islanders studying in the UK this year thanks to the FCDO’s Chevening Scholarship programme which provides support for one-year taught master’s degrees at UK universities for individuals with the potential to become future leaders, decision-makers, and opinion formers.
Dalcy already has an idea how she might apply her new understanding of sustainability and human rights when she gets home.
“So, my immediate plan,” she said, “is to be able to continue my work as a magistrate and to translate what I'm learning here into my daily work, particularly in terms of human rights. And if the opportunity arises in the future, I’d like to think that I might be involved in legal reform for the Solomon Islands.”
The Solomon Islands
Returning to study for the first time in almost a decade has also been a challenge confessed Dalcy, but she has found DMU’s block teaching system a real help, and has just completed her first module - Sustainability, Climate Change and Human Rights Issues.
“It was a bit of a struggle to get back into the mood of studying and being a full-time student after a long period away from the academic side of things,” she said, "but the block teaching has been a big help by allowing me to just focus on one module at a time." Dalcy has even managed to find time for socialising with course mates and has done some volunteering as well.
“For me personally coming here on the Chevening Scholarship is a really significant stepping stone in my professional career development,” said Dalcy.
“I’d like to formally acknowledge FCDO for providing this unique opportunity. The prospect of studying at a world-class university in the UK is a long-held dream for many Solomon Islanders, so completing the application and interview process and being selected is an immense achievement.
“I'm so grateful for the opportunity," she said, “and I’d encourage anyone else to also come to DMU. It is a great place to study. You just have to come out of your comfort zone and take the bold step to find where you want to grow.”
Even though the December temperatures may be a bit outside of Dalcy’s comfort zone – the lowest temperature, ever recorded, day or night, in the Solomon Islands was 16.6°C (61.9°F) - she’ll be studying at DMU until next September, and so at least has the glory of an English summer to look forward to.
For more inofrmation of the FCDO's Chevening Scholarship programme visit: https://www.chevening.org/
Posted on Monday 22 December 2025