Congratulations to 8 of our students who have been selected to go abroad in 2019 as part of the Australian Government's New Colombo Plan (NCP) Scholarships.
The NCP Scholarships provide Australian undergraduate students with the opportunity to undertake semester-based study as well as internships in up to 40 locations across the Indo-Pacific region.
The latest successful scholarships mean that, from 2014 to 2019, ANU will have had 39 students participate in the New Colombo Plan Scholarships program.
The NCP Scholars for 2019 include Cherry Zheng, from the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, who will be studying in China.
"I applied for the New Colombo Plan scholarship because understanding the challenges and opportunities of living in the Indo-Pacific forms the core of Australia's future," Cherry says.
"And there is no better way to do that than acquainting ourselves directly with our rising region - this is just not something you can get from a classroom."
Clare McBride-Kelly, from the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific and ANU College of Law, will be studying in Indonesia and Thailand.
She says that interning at the Jakarta Post in December 2017 saw her develop an interest in the growing refugee population in transit in Indonesia.
"As a 2019 New Colombo Plan Scholar, I will endeavour to gain a more nuanced understanding of the global flow of refugees through the Indo-Pacific, through undertaking a series of study and internship opportunities in Indonesia and Thailand. I am both delighted and honoured to have this incredible opportunity to engage with this increasingly pressing foreign policy topic and immerse myself in the buzzing Indo-Pacific region."
Evangeline Packett, from the ANU College of Science and ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, will be studying in Fiji.
Evangeline applied for the NCP Scholarship because she's fascinated by the way that island nations manage their water.
"Fiji is already dealing with the effects of climate change. Increased rainfall and rising sea levels have increased the flooding threat to agriculture, lives and infrastructure. I wanted to spend my Honours year developing my hydrology analysis skills and learning from how Fiji is dealing with these changing conditions so that when I come home I will be better equipped to help Australia tackle our own environmental challenges."
ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt AC said the New Colombo Plan scholarships provide an excellent opportunity for Australian students to learn about the culture and issues of countries in our region, and to bring that valuable knowledge home.
"As the national university, ANU plays a leading role in investigating and studying issues that affect our region, and we encourage our students to not just be leaders in their own communities, but to also think about the regional and global context of their studies," Professor Schmidt said.
"We've had many successful scholars broaden their understanding of, and passion for, the Indo-Pacific region through the New Colombo Plan and this has helped them succeed scholarly and beyond their studies in their professional and personal lives."
"I congratulate all the ANU students who have worked hard to deserve this opportunity, and I encourage them to dive deep into the cultures of the countries they'll call home for the next semester."
Other NCP Scholars for 2019 are:
Cameron Allan, from the ANU College of Law and ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, will be studying in Indonesia.
Oliver Lilford, from the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, will be studying in Fiji.
Evangeline Sharman, from the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, will be studying in Samoa.
Dana Throssell, from the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, will be studying in Indonesia.
Scanlon Williams, from the ANU College of Law and ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, will be studying in Japan.
On top of their scholarship placings, three students were also selected as NCP Fellows.
Cameron Allan has been selected as the New Colombo Plan Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Fellow.
Evangeline Sharman has been selected as the New Colombo Plan Samoa Fellow.
Oliver Lilford has been selected as the New Colombo Plan Fiji Fellow.
As a Fellow, the students may be invited to high-level events where they will be an ambassador for both the New Colombo Plan program and for Australia.
The successful 2019 round of NCP scholars for ANU also rounds off a stellar year of results for the University and the New Colombo Plan program more broadly, with ANU being awarded $755,700 in funding across 18 programs in the NCP's 2019 Mobility Grants program announced in July.
Information about the New Colombo Plan Scholarships program, including how to apply for the next round of scholarships, can be found on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's website.
