LONDON - Success was celebrated at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with a pre-Graduation Day party for students from around the world who have been working for their degrees and diplomas in the School’s Distance Learning programme. Dean of Studies Sharon Huttly discusses the importance of having 2 800 students in the programme who live in 140 countries and who outnumber those studying in London. Students and graduates Araksya Hovhannesyan, Boris Rebac, Egwuonwu Chidoziem, Enas Newire, and Colin Meghoo tell their reasons for choosing distance learning; tutor Sue Stirling gives a flavour of the tutorial process conducted between staff and students physically located in different parts of the globe; James Ransom of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission explains the reasons why his UK government-funded body is convinced of the benefits - both internationally and to the UK - of continuing to provide scholarships for able distance learners wherever they may live.