AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION
ISLAMABAD
15 November 2012
Press Release
Australian High Commissioner bids farewell to Australia Awards Scholarship recipients
The Australian High Commissioner, Mr Peter Heyward, yesterday bid farewell to 55 Pakistani professionals who have been awarded scholarships to undertake Masters level study at Australian Universities in 2013 through AusAID’s ‘Australia Awards’ Program.
The Australia Awards are an important component of Australia’s investment in education - the flagship of the Australian aid program. They provide long and short term study and professional development opportunities to citizens from less-developed countries around the globe. The Awards aim to develop capacity and leadership skills so that individuals can contribute to development in their home country, and to build people to people linkages at the individual, institutional and country level.
The Pakistani scholars will study subjects agreed with the Government of Pakistan that address key development needs in the country including maternal, neonatal and child health, primary education, food security and agriculture.
“The Australia Awards program targets emerging leaders in Pakistan. Scholarship recipients are required to return to Pakistan after completing their studies, ensuring that they bring their newly acquired skills home to contribute to the development of their country” said Mr Heyward during his address to students at their pre-departure briefing in Islamabad.
“The Australian Government has been providing scholarships to Pakistani students since 1991, and the scholarships program highlights the strong development partnership between Australia and Pakistan” said Mr Heyward. Australia’s development assistance program to Pakistan has grown steadily in recent years, reaching A$96.4 million in 2012/13 with a focus on health, education and agriculture.
The next round of Australia Awards scholarships will be advertised in February 2013 on the Australia Awards in Pakistan website (http://www.adspakistan.com.pk/).
Contact: Melissa Kelly (051 8355346)