Culture
17:59, 28-Nov-2017
Aussie undergraduates to study in China under Indo-Pacific plan
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Fifteen Australian students will study and undertake internships on the Chinese mainland under a scholarship program that aims to enhance knowledge of the Indo-Pacific among young Australians.
They are among 120 winners of the New Colombo Plan scholarship announced on Monday by Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop at the Great Hall of the Parliament House in Canberra. Another 15 students will be heading to universities in Hong Kong.
In all, the undergraduates will study and take part in internships or mentorships in 20 countries and regions, including for the first time, Tonga, the Federated States of Micronesia and New Caledonia.
Bishop had pinpointed China as one of the most popular destinations of the New Colombo Plan when she spoke last Thursday at a dinner party celebrating the 45th anniversary of the founding of diplomatic relations between Australia and China in 1972.
"I know that China is making leaps and bounds and leading the way in the industry of computer science," said Conor Gould from Griffith University, who will study in Beijing. "China is making emphasis on pushing on innovation."
He hopes to find a Beijing company for internship and learn more about data science and machine-learning.
"China is an important country especially in global politics," said China-bound Tess Van Geelan from Queensland University of Technology. "I'm studying environment and law and China is doing some really interesting things in environment conservation. The idea is to build ecological civilization. I think it's really fascinating."
Julie Bishop, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, announcing the winners of the 2017 New Colombo Plan scholarship at the Great Hall of the Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Nov. 27. /Xinhua PhotoSpeaking at the awards ceremony, Bishop thanked the business community for its ongoing engagement, including scholarships sponsored by PwC and QBE, as well as private sector support for student internships and other work-based learning.
"The New Colombo Plan is for Australian undergraduates to reflect the diversity of our nation – students from our cities, regional and remote areas, and from a wide range of backgrounds," she said.
Minister of Education Simon Birmingham said the program highlighted the important contribution international exchanges made to Australia's education engagement with the indo-Pacific region.
"Scholars build connections with their peers, get real-life work experience and boost their employability in the graduate job market," he said.
Launched in 2014, the New Colombo Plan is a signature initiative of the coalition government. By the end of 2018, more than 30,000 students will have been supported under the program.
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency