New Colombo Plan 2020 scholars

Today we congratulate the next 125 New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholars who will take up exciting opportunities in the Indo-Pacific in 2020—immersing themselves in Indo-Pacific cultures, learning languages, furthering their studies and gaining work experience.

The NCP selects Australia’s best and brightest undergraduates from all universities across the country. In 2020, around a third of scholars are from regional and rural areas, a quarter are the first in their family to have studied at university, and more than half are women.

Australian business participation in the NCP contributes to its international reputation and success. In return, these organisations benefit from the skills, knowledge and networks scholars bring.

Eight of the 2020 scholarships will be sponsored by businesses with reach into the Indo-Pacific including PwC, King & Wood Mallesons, Newcrest Mining, QBE Insurance and GHD.

Each year NCP alumni are selected to share their experiences as New Colombo Plan Alumni Ambassadors. Today we welcome 51 new Alumni Ambassadors, including two national Indigenous Alumni Ambassadors, who will encourage even more students to take-up NCP opportunities.

More than 60,000 awards have been made to students as part of New Colombo Plan scholarships and mobility grants since 2014.