August 29, 2017

Global mobility funding win for UOW

More students given support to live, study and learn across Indo-Pacific region.  

The University of Wollongong (UOW) has been successful in attracting more than a million dollars in government funding to support overseas student internships.

In the latest round of New Colombo Plan (NCP) mobility funding announced by Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP and Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, UOW was successful in attracting $792,000, which will support 170 students to undertake mobility projects across the Indo-Pacific.

Together with the forward funding from multi-year projects granted in previous rounds, the total available funds to support mobility for UOW students under NCP will increase next year by 28 per cent - from $833,800 in 2017 to $1,163,360 in 2018.

The NCP 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. The NCP involves a scholarship program for study of up to one year and internships or mentorships, and a flexible mobility grants program for both short and longer-term study, internships, mentorships, practicums and research.

The 2018 New Colombo Plan mobility grants will support 13,000 undergraduates from 40 Australian universities to live, study and complete internships in 35 countries across the Indo-Pacific region.

UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings, CBE, said the international opportunities presented through NCP are invaluable to students.

“The New Colombo Plan not only deepens and strengthens Australia’s relationships throughout the region, it also gives our students the opportunity to gain experience that will benefit their future careers and improve their understanding of what it means to be a global citizen,” he said.

“The diverse study opportunities available to UOW students through this program will further enrich the already positive student experience they are enjoying.”

The funding announcement came as UOW was named in the 2018 Good Universities Guide as Australia’s leading public university for the student experience it provides.

Picture: L to R: UOW Vice-Chancellor, Paul Wellings, CBE; The Hon Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs; NCP 2017 Scholars Ella Strachan and Liam Frappell; Senator The Hon Concetta Fierravanti-Wells; 2015 NCP Scholar Asher Taccori. Photo courtesy of DFAT.