Australian High Commission
MEDIA RELEASE
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21 November 2011
High Commissioner congratulates “Australia Awards” recipients
The Australian High Commissioner, H.E. Ms Kathy Klugman, hosted a reception in Male’ today to congratulate 42 accomplished Maldivians who have been awarded scholarships to study at Australian universities. Scholars will commence their studies in early 2012 under the Australian Government’s ‘Australia Awards’ scheme. The reception was attended by the Vice President, Hon Dr Mohamed Waheed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Mr Ahmed Naseem, and the Minister of Education, Hon Ms Shifa Mohamed, as well as Australian scholarships alumni and other distinguished guests.
“Australia has been a long term partner with the Maldives in supporting Maldivians to achieve national development goals,” Ms Klugman said.
Four scholars were awarded an Australian Leadership Award (ALA), selected for their potential to influence positive social and economic development in Maldives and the region. These awardees will join almost 1000 emerging leaders across Asia and the Pacific who have been conferred ALA scholarships since 2006.
Eighteen public and private sector professionals working in the education, environment, health, and fisheries sectors were awarded an Australian Development Scholarship (ADS) to undertake postgraduate studies. Scholarships have also been awarded to 20 young Maldivians to undertake undergraduate courses. The 42 scholarships were valued at approximately AUD 7 million.
“I am pleased that the Australian Government has increased the number of scholarships to Maldives for the 2012 intake. This cohort represents the largest group of scholars to study in Australia on long-term scholarships in the past 10 years”, Ms Klugman said
“The Australian Government strongly values the people-to-people links and partnerships that the Australia Awards scheme fosters, often for many years after a student has returned home.”
The Australian Government has always valued education as a force for political and economic reform and good governance. The Australia Awards scheme invests in high-achieving Maldivians who can be catalysts for national progress now and in the future.
The Australian Agency for International Development will invest AUD 303 million globally in Australia Award scholarships in 2011-12, offering 3,968 new awards to support human resource development in partner countries, including Maldives.
High profile alumni in Maldives include the Speaker of the Parliament and a Cabinet Minister and several Parliamentarians. Prominent scholarship alumni in the South Asia region include Nepal’s Secretary to the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management, Sri Lanka’s Secretary to the Public Service Commission, Bhutan’s Finance Minister and Bangladesh’s Secretary to the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management.
Further information about AusAID scholarships can be found at, www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar
Media contact: Vanessa Hegarty +94 77 870 4762