QUT has been awarded more than $500,000 in funding from the Federal Government in the latest round of the New Colombo Plan mobility grants which will enable 148 students to study in the Indo-Pacific in 2016.
Announced last week, the New Colombo Plan program is being expanded to further student prospects and increase business engagement in the region.
The New Colombo Plan is a signature initiative of the Australian Government which aims to lift knowledge of the Indo Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region.
More than 110 QUT students have been funded to study overseas as part of the program since it began in 2014. Furthermore, two QUT students were awarded the prestigious New Colombo Plan Scholarship in 2015, valued up to $67,000 per scholar, highlighting QUT's strong engagement with the federal government program.
In 2016, the New Colombo Plan will support 148 QUT students participating in twenty short-term and semester-based student mobility programs, a significant increase from the six programs funded in 2015.
These global study opportunities will cover a wide range of disciplines and host countries, from a Social Work Practicum with Handicap International in Cambodia to a Legal externship placement in Myanmar.
QUT has also successfully cultivated business partnerships with multinational organisations to provide mobility opportunities for QUT students in 2016, including Mitsui & Co, Japan - one of Australia's long-term trade partners - and National Australia Bank (NAB), which is home to offshore offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai & Mumbai, amongst other areas.
Employers and opinion leaders increasingly believe mobility programs add to students' capabilities and strengths, including increased cultural exposure and better networking skills, according to research conducted for Universities Australia (Prospect Research, 2013).
This view is strongly supported by QUT students who have participated in the New Colombo Plan. Brian Joseph, a third-year electrical engineering student and 2015 New Colombo Plan Scholar, undertook an exchange semester and internship in Singapore.
"I've met the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julia Bishop and other Federal ministers, the High Commissioner of Singapore and countless business leaders in Singapore - the opportunities are endless," Mr Joseph said.
"The NCP Scholarship has enabled me to develop my network as well as obtain an internship in Singapore, which will ultimately help me with future engineering endeavours."
Students who are interested in participating in student exchange or a short-term program to Asia as part of the New Colombo Plan are encouraged to visit the International Student Mobility Office (GP A-102) or visit the website for more information.
Media contact:
Amanda Weaver, QUT Media, 07 3138 9449, amanda.weaver@qut.edu.au
After hours: Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901, media@qut.edu.au
