Antony Perry
31 January 2017: More than 200 students studying at the University of Canberra will have the opportunity to live, study and complete internships overseas in 2017 as part of the Federal Government’s New Colombo Plan (NCP) and Australia Awards-Endeavour Mobility Grants initiatives.
Up to 180 students will benefit from almost $600,000 awarded to the University in mobility grants under the NCP, while 52 students will access $211,500 in funding from the Australia Awards program.
The two programs have been designed to encourage undergraduate students to undertake study-related activities in the Indo-Pacific region.
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Students studying sports-related degrees at the University of Canberra visited Japan in 2016 to learn about the country's sporting history and culture. Photo supplied.
The NCP will see students travel to Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Projects organised as part of the Australia Awards program will run in Canada, America, Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, China and India. The initiative also facilitates international students coming to Australia.
University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Deep Saini said the funding would be used to support the University’s existing faculty-led overseas study programs.
“This extra funding is vital to the University delivering on its commitment of providing students with the opportunity to travel overseas, not only to expand their skill set but to learn about the cultures of the world around us,” Professor Saini said.
“We have a whole range of programs that will allow our students to engage with other students, institutions and employers on a global scale.”
The funding from the NCP is part of a wider $1.32 million package the University has received for 2017-2019. More than 400 students will benefit from the program across three years.
In addition to the NCP mobility grants, the program also offers scholarships to high-performing students wanting to engage their peers in the Indo-Pacific region.
Among the 105 scholarship recipients in 2017 is Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Commerce student Kayleigh Smith. Ms Smith will travel to Indonesia in Semester Two, where she will attend Udayana University and undertake internships in business development and consultancy.
Professor Saini said: “We couldn’t be more proud of Kayleigh’s accomplishment. The program is highly competitive and Kayleigh is most deserving of such a prestigious scholarship.”
The University’s faculty-led programs for 2017 and beyond include:
- Indigenous students visiting Fiji to grow their understanding of Indigenous Fijian knowledge systems
- Midwifery, nutrition and pharmacy students undertaking placements in Vietnam and Tonga
- Internship opportunities in Malaysia aimed at helping students improve their Asian language skills
- Nutrition students experiencing first-hand the dietary issues facing Samoans
- Students advancing their understanding of society and culture in Cambodia, and
- Creative arts students visiting Singapore to draw inspiration for projects.
