NEW AUSTRALIAN FELLOWSHIP AID PROGRAM TO BOOST REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
More than 1,700 short-term fellowships will be offered to future leaders of the Asia Pacific region, including future Filipino leaders, over the next five years by Australian institutions under the recently announced Australian Leadership Awards Fellowships Program.
Launching the inaugural round of the Fellowships Program, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms Teresa Gambaro, encouraged Australian organisations to apply for Australian Government grants to deliver fellowships in a broad range of fields relevant to Australia's foreign policy agenda or development outcomes in the Asia Pacific region.
“Australian community, civil society, private sector, research, academic and government organisations with existing links within the Asia Pacific region are invited to nominate and host fellows for study, research or professional attachments”, Ms Gambaro said.
Noting that the fellowships would be short-term, she explained the Program would be able to respond to ever-changing regional priorities, and would allow current and aspiring leaders from the Asia Pacific to address key issues and challenges in their regions, and to explore common policy issues.
“In 2007, Fellowship Program priorities would include economic management, trade policy and trans-national challenges, such as pandemics, diseases, security and clean energy,” Ms Gambaro advised.
The Fellowships Program is a component of an Australian Government initiative to double the number of educational opportunities available in Australia to 19,000 placements for countries in the Asia Pacific region. It will be managed by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).
In Manila, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Tony Hely welcomed the announcement, noting that the Philippines would benefit significantly from the new Fellowships Program. “This Program will help strengthen the cadre of leaders and professionals in the Philippines that are advancing regional reform, development and governance. It will also increase our people-to-people links and build common perspectives and understandings between the Philippines and Australia’, he said.
Ambassador Hely added that Philippine organisations, such as universities, corporations and government agencies, could participate in the Fellowships Program through an Australian counterpart organisation. Similarly, prospective Filipino fellows needed to be nominated and sponsored by an Australian organisation. He said prospective fellows might consider applying separately for an Endeavour Executive Award or other study opportunity under the Australian Scholarships initiative.
For further information on Australian Government study opportunities, including the Fellowships Program, longer-term Australian Leadership Awards Scholarships and the Endeavour Executive Awards, log on to www.australianscholarships.gov.au.