Australia Awards 2017

Today I announce that the Australian Government will provide 3,500 Australia Awards Scholarships and Fellowships in 2017 to support study in Australia and the Pacific by emerging leaders from Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Government will commit $330 million to the Australia Awards in 2016-17 and has developed a Global Strategy to maximise the benefits of our investment in the Awards.

The Australia Awards offer the next generation of global leaders an opportunity to undertake study, research and professional development while engaging with Australian expertise and culture.

Funded through our aid program, the Australia Awards enable students to acquire skills and cultivate networks which will help them contribute to development in their home countries.

The 2017 Australia Awards include 1,980 Fellowships and short course programs for professionals from developing countries, 1,240 scholarships for Australian tertiary institutions and a further 280 scholarships for universities in the Pacific islands.

This announcement reflects the Government's commitment to international education through the Australia Global Alumni Engagement Strategy. The Australia Awards complement the work of the New Colombo Plan, which is improving knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia by supporting almost 7,500 Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region in 2017.

Together, the New Colombo Plan and the Australia Awards deepen Australia's engagement with the region and facilitate genuine two-way educational exchange.