The complications and high costs associated with dental implants could be a thing of the past as Griffith research aims to reduce the associated risks of infection using cutting-edge nanotechnology.
The study is being led by post-doctoral researcher Dr Karan Gulati from the university’s School of Dentistry and Oral Health/Menzies Health Institute Queensland, who is presenting his research at this week’s Gold Coast Health and Medical Research Conference at the QT Hotel, Surfers Paradise (Dec 1-2).
Hundreds of thousands of Australians need dental implants each year but the risks of infection and poor stability can be high, particularly if the patient has a condition such as osteoporosis or diabetes, which may compromise the dental healing process.
However early stage nanotechnology techniques in animal studies are now showing promise in allowing faster integration of an implant in order to prevent bacteria from setting in.
Nanotechnology is science, engineering and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers.
“The technology I am using enables me to nano-engineer the surface of commercially established implants with nanotubes, which can later be loaded with drugs such as antibiotics or proteins for maximised therapeutic effect.”
“When these are inserted into the patient’s jaw, they improve soft- (gingiva) and hard-tissue (bone) integration and therefore dramatically decrease the likelihood of oral microbes being able to enter the tissue,” says Dr Gulati.
Related item:
Conference targets chronic disease prevention
“Based on the initial results, we expect to achieve early implant stability and long-term success of such therapeutic dental implants.”
“In addition, the overall costs to the patient are expected to be reduced, considering that there will be no expenses associated with follow up drug treatment, cleaning of possible bacterial attachment or correction of implant failure”
The ground-breaking work is still in the very early stages, however clinical trials are planned to commence in 2017.
Dr Gulati says this implant technology can easily be extended to orthopaedic implants.
Health and Medical Research Conference 2016
WHEN: Thursday December 1 and Friday December 2.
Registration from 7:30am.
WHERE: QT Hotel, Surfers Paradise.
CONTACT: Louise Durack, 0419 649 516 or email: [email protected]
The future of election polling will be based on social media comments and data, according to a Griffith University researcher who correctly predicted Donald Trump as US President.
Head of School of Information Communication Technology, Associate Professor Bela Stantic, who is also Director of Big Data and Smart Analytics lab within the Institute for Integrated and Intelligent Systems, accurately predicted who would win 49 of the 50 states in the US election using his big data analytics.
With much of the debate as to whether Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton would win the election taking place online, people blogging, tweeting or updating social media with their thoughts on the topic provided data researchers with a rich source of information about what people were thinking and feeling about the election race.
Griffith acting head of School of ICT Bela Stantic
Associate Prof Stantic was so confident in the result that he publicly announced his prediction even for the known swing states – and his calculations for all swing states were right.
“My algorithms showed clearly to me that based on past patterns and sentiment in social media that Trump, by November 8, would take over the lead, despite only having a 10 per cent chance to win according to all polls at that time,” he said.
“In a public address on big data the day before I even correctly identified all main states that Trump would win (including Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania). Someone in the audience quickly checked online and said according to polls Hilary was 84 per cent favourite.
“I answered that people are likely to be more honest when telling friends rather than answering polls.It is scary how accurate prediction can be done by analysing social media.”
When Griffith’s Big Data and Smart Analytics Lab analysed comments on Twitter towards the end of July, it predicted that if the US Presidential election had been held at that time, Trump would have been the winner over Clinton. Those results were shared at the time in an article on The Conversation.
The same lab using the same method predicted and announced in a public lecture a week before the Australian federal election that the Coalition would win over the ALP.
Over the past several years, presidential elections have served as great testbeds in social media, big data, and analytics, which can go into great detail on how campaigns use this information to find out more about voters.
“Such analytics can provide muchmore accurate information than telephone polling, especially in a day and age where people have caller ID and don’t have landlines,” Associate Prof Stantic says.
“This is why the polls leading up to the election had such inconsistent results.”
“The amount of data that all of us generateis truly staggering, and it is continuing to grow. This publicly available data is secret treasure of information if we know how to discover it.”
Associate Professor Stantic says big dataanalytics is a discipline faced with the challenge of managing the sheer volume of data and turning it into something useful.
“It makes predictions about the future based on the patterns of the past, and finds relationships buried in the data that no one has noticed.”
Similar predictions about the environmental changes of Great Barrier Reef based on ‘Human Sensors’ and Gold Coast visitor satisfaction have been done on projects funded by National Environmental Science Program and City of Gold Coast.
“To further improve predictive power of Big Data analytics there is a need for smarter and faster algorithms to perform deep learning on the large volumes of data drawn from diverse, and we are working on it.”
More than 300 exceptional biomedical scientists, clinical researchers, health professionals and research students are expected to attendthe 12th Gold Coast Health and Medical Research Conference 2016, where translational research for the prevention of chronic disease will be the focus.
The annual conference will feature a unique breadth of biomedical science, genetics, immunology, cancer, clinical, mental and population health experts.
Three research programs fromGriffith’s Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Understanding Chronic Conditions, Optimising Health Outcomes and Building Healthy Communities, will take centre stage during theDecember 1 and 2 conference to be held a the QT Hotel, Surfers Paradise.
The conference is the premier forum for health and medical research in South-East Queenslandand drawson top Gold Coast institutions, including the Gold Coast University Hospital, Griffith’s Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Bond University, Southern Cross University and the Gold Coast Medical Association. Together they have developed an outstanding two-day program including dynamic guest speakers.
“Significant advances have been made across multiple disciplines in relation to understanding, preventing and treating disease, yet it is unclear why the potential for relinquishing substantial reduction in disease has not been achieved overall and across various subgroups,” says Griffith’s Pro Vice Chancellor (Health) Professor Sheena Reilly.
“Conferences such as this promote interdisciplinary discussions and most importantly, pathways to facilitate effective and sustainable translation.
Focus on prevention
“Appreciating the amazing gains we as a society can make by focusing on prevention rather than cure, we welcome and look forward to engaging with local and national health professionals, clinicians and delegates from other universities, research institutions and government organisations who are joining us this year.”
An exciting new feature of the conference this year is the panel discussion on the Thursday evening (1 Dec), which will be moderated by ABC Science presenter Bernie Hobbs.
Dr Simon Eassom from IBM Watson will present on the future of the health workforce and challengedelegates to think about how the workforce might change over the next few years, particularly in light of artificial intelligence, cognitive computing and the use of robots.
Three panel members, Professor Sharon Mickan from Oxford University, UK; Dr Jeanette Young, Chief Health Officer for Queensland Health and Ms Rachel Hunter, Deputy Chancellor at Griffith and Chair of the Board at Lady Cilento Hospital, will respond to Simon’s talk. There will also be questions and answers with the audience.
For more information on the program, guest speakers or how to register, please visit the conference website: http://gchmrc2016.com
Gold Coast Health and Medical Research Conference 2016
WHEN: Thursday December 1 and Friday December 2.
Registration from 7:30am.
WHERE: QT Hotel, Surfers Paradise.
CONTACT: Louise Durack, 0419 649 516 or email: [email protected]
A unique interdisciplinary course offered for the first time in January 2017 will bring together Griffith students from a variety of disciplines ranging from Business, Arts, Humanities, Photography, Education, Health, Science and Math as a team to undertake applied service project in India. Students will travel to the Western Indian state of Maharashtra, and visit the cities of Mumbai, Malavli and Pune. On this journey, they will develop a range of professional and personal skills through a combination of volunteer work and academic learning. The three week community internship will run from 6th January to 29th January 2017. It is a 10 credit point course (3002LFC) funded for three continuous years through the prestigious Australian Government New Colombo Plan.
Left to right: Ms. Hazel Rands, Dr Dhara Shah, and Mr. Ben Cameron
Dr Dhara Shah from the Griffith Business School’s Department of International Business and Asian Studies and the Griffith Asia Institute is part of the team involved in designing the course. She, along with the Acting Program Director for International Programs (Nursing), the Global Mobility Manager and the Partnership Coordinator (Service Learning) were part of the delegation who traveled to India in February 2016 to design the course by experiencing first-hand what students will become immersed in. The Indian partner for the course, Beyond Borders, will be providing ground support and organize the experiences for students in India. Visit theBeyond Borders Program website for more information.
Public Health Clinic – Raising awareness
The program will include visits to slums, waterways, villages and primary health clinics in order to gain contextual information about the environmental and health conditions of the hard to reach Indian poor. Moreover, students will also visit microfinance providers that issue loans to the poorest in India (particularly women), and discover how a small loan can transform a person’s life and indeed a community. Students will use the knowledge they have obtained in their current disciplines to collaborate on a project in India. They will develop health and finance related resources for promotion to the local population to increase participation rates in social programs. There will also be a language component, ‘Introduction to Hindi’. This opportunity will internationalise our students’ resumes and impress upon prospective employers their practical experience working with diverse people and environments.
In the lead up to their departure, some students have offered their thoughts on what they hope to get out of the internship:
Public school, where the children are from the slums
‘I am very excited to be able to combine both my passions of social work and tourism within this internship. I anticipate learning much about service delivery and the scope for community development and engagement in India and experience the vibrant culture and dynamic lifestyle at the same time. I envisage to come back with shifted perceptions and perhaps even shifted values.’ Naseema
Article byDr Dhara Shah, Lecturer in the Griffith Business School’s Department of International Business and Asian Studies and member of the Griffith Asia Institute.
A passion for providing online legal support to small businesses is the focus for Griffith Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Business student Shaun Milligan, recipient of one of this year’s prestigious New Colombo Plan scholarships.
Launched in 2013, the New Colombo Plan is an Australian Government initiative which aims to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia, by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and take internships in the region. The New Colombo Plan is a scholarship program which funds selected students for periods of study of up to one year.
The program also includes internships and mentorships, as well as flexible mobility grant programs for shorter-term practicums and research.
A fourth-year student from Brisbane’s Holland Park West, Shaun is planning to use his scholarship to complete a six-month study program at the University of Hong Kong, culminating in the establishment of a streamlined and cost effective online commercial dispute resolution (OCDR) system for small businesses.
He says the impetus was when his brother’s small consulting business came under fire by one of the global players in the market for an alleged trademark infringement.
“It was a difficult time for him with the legal issues and we realised how an OCDR system would make things a lot cheaper and easier for both him and the millions in Australia who do not necessarily have the resources to take on the big guys,” says Shaun.
The importance of small business
“The Australian and Hong Kong Governments have also recognised the importance of small businesses in each country’s long term economic plans. However, little OCDR support is available to small businesses that want to establish foreign trade investment between Hong Kong and Australia.
“As a student of law and business, with an understanding of small business pressures, I am passionate about enabling these businesses to compete on a global stage. Hong Kong already has excellent online legal dispute systems and I plan to bring back ideas and knowledge to help small business over here.
“I am hoping to achieve this through collaboration and engagement that opens up new pathways for Australian and Indo-Pacific businesses.”
After Shaun finishes his semester of study at the University of Hong Kong, he wants to intern with the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC).
“This internship will enhance the knowledge I gain through my studies by providing me with practical insights into commercial dispute resolution and other commercial law practices across the region.”
In between study, Shaun has also found time to volunteer with young students with disabilities at the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital School in South Brisbane, helping them with study and fundraising activities.
“I wish to combine small business growth with my personal interest to improve employment conditions and access for the disabled community.
“Australia is recognised for its policy work in Disability Employment. In the future, I want to be the leading lawyer/business person in OCDR for small businesses in Australia and the Indo-Pacific. With the skills and networks that I build through my NCP program, I will return from HK and work within dispute resolution including the industrial issues facing the disabled.”
On his future career, Shaun is keeping his options open but is keen on the idea of becoming a practicing barrister.
“I love participating in mooting competitions which sharpen my public speaking and legal skills and the bar is an attractive career path for me,” he says.
“I have already had some great practice at Griffith which is a very supportive and enriching teaching environment.”
Griffith Uni is giving science teachers the cutting-edge research and skills to inspire their students to be scientists of the future.
TheScience on the GO!‘Cutting Edge STEM Professional Development Day for Teachers and Scientific Operations Officers’ was held across the Nathan and Gold Coast campuses this week.
Griffith is a leading institution in the field of science and Cutting Edge aims to inspire teachers to equip their students with the skills required for a successful career. Griffith contributes to the science field and STEM agenda through real people and real stories that teachers and their kids can relate to.
The conference aims to develop participant confidence with regards to knowledge and skills in the areas of cutting-edge science and science education to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes in the classroom setting.
Participants exploring new science resources and research.
Expert knowledge
Griffith School of Environment PhD Candidate, Mariel Familiar-López, ran a biology workshop on the best methods for ‘Specimen preparation in the lab’ across both campuses. There were a range of other workshops including ‘Physics projects in STEM’, ‘Parkinson’s disease: new genes, drugs & adventures’ and ‘DNA Mugshots’, among many others.
Specimen dissection and preparation.
Dr Lara Herrero, Future Research Leader from the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith was the keynote speaker for the conference. In 2004, Dr Herrero was diagnosed with Ross River Virus, and a decade later her research now focuses on similar arboviruses to prevent others from suffering as she did.
Emily de la Pena, Advance Queensland’s 2016 Community Digital Champion from Coding Kids delivered the Nathan campus closing address and Associate Professor Adam Brumm from the Environmental Futures Research Institute at Griffith delivered the Gold Coast campus closing address.
Jorgen Gullestrup CEO Mates in Construction
A deep concern about high suicide rates within the construction industry led Griffith University alumnus Jorgen Gullestrup to start up the world’s only industry-based suicide prevention program.
“Australian men often struggle to talk about their feelings, which makes them less likely to seek help for mental health issues,” Jorgen explains.
“Every second day Australia loses a construction worker to suicide, with men in the industry six times more likely to die from suicide than from a work accident.
“In fact, a study released by the Australian Institute for Suicide Prevention and Research (AISRAP) found that construction workers were more likely to die by their own hand, with young men having the highest risk.
MATES in Construction aims to lower their risk by harnessing the power of the great Aussie spirit of mateship to successfully engage workers in the construction industry to look out for one another.
Jorgen says men are responsive to messages about workplace safety,so conversations that focused on risk management around mental health helped to break the ice on such a sensitive topic.
“Men might not be adept at expressing our feelings but one thing we are good at is problem-solving–give us a concrete problem and we’ll move mountains to try and fix it,” he says.
“So we created our program to focus on help-offering, rather than help-seeking and encouraging ‘gatekeepers’ within the community to offer that help instead of relying on intervention from outside the industry.”
“There’s no shortage of suicide prevention strategies available, but we wanted to modify existing interventions to suit our community because despite all the good ideas, construction workers are unlikely to seek help for mental health issues.”
Jorgen graduated with a masters degree in suicidology in 2015, afterpreviously completing his training in suicide prevention.
He first introduced MATES in Construction to Queensland building sites in 2008 with a budget of $400,000.
The program now runs on a $7 million annual budget, is available in four states and has attracted interest from industry leaders overseas.
“I’m a plumber by trade and was a union official in the construction industry so I was aware of the problems in that area and my studies at Griffith convinced me that a tailored program was needed,” says Jorgen.
MATES in Construction has won several awards for successfully initiating a conversation around suicide prevention on building sites.
And recent data suggest that it’s having an impact.
“During the five years since the inception of MATES in Construction the overall male suicide rate increased slightly, but suicides in Queensland construction workers dropped by eight per cent,” he says.
Before that, Queensland had one of the highest construction suicide rates and we managed to turn that around to where we now have the lowest rate in the country.
“While it’s not conclusive proof that MATES in Construction is responsible for the change, it’s a good outcome, nonetheless.”
* First published in Griffith Health Check Issue 49, 2016 (PDF 4.6Mb)
*Update October 2017:Jorgen Gullestrup was awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to continue his work around suicide prevention on building sites. He will visit Switzerland, Denmark, UK, USA, New Zealand to gain ideas from their approaches to workplace suicide prevention.
Elizabeth Dowrie will pursue her passion for women’s rights and social justice in Beijing after winning a New Colombo Plan scholarship.
“When I heard the news, my heart started thumping,” she said.
“I feel very lucky and honoured.”
The Griffith Law and Government/International Relations student will immerse herself in the Chinese culture and language at the China University of Political Science and Law.
“I can’t wait to expose myself to a different culture and learn a new language.
“At the moment my Mandarin is limited to ‘hello’ and ‘how are you’, so I have a long way to go!
“It will be a challenge, but one that will change me for the better.”
Elizabeth visited Beijing as an Asia Futures Fellow last year, attending Peking University and collaborating on a research project comparing gender equality in China and Australia.
“Growing up, I always felt a more natural affinity with Europe,” she said.
“I always had dreams of travelling to Paris and London, but after studying international relations at Griffith and travelling to China last year, I realised how important Asia is to the future of Australia.
“Our alliance with America may not be as solid as it once was, so it’s an incredibly exciting time to visit China and help build those ties.”
Elizabeth, 21, is one of six Griffith students awarded the prestigious New Colombo Plan Scholarships to study at leading universities in China, Hong Kong and Japan.
The scholarships aim to improve relations between Australia and its neighbours in the Indo-Pacific.
Recipients can undertake up to two semesters of study, along with an internship and language study.
Elizabeth hopes to undertake an internship with a women’s legal service or an organisation that empowers female leaders.
“I am passionate about gender equality and the effect that politics and culture have on the position of women in society,” she said.
Elizabeth is also passionate about volunteering, and will be seeking opportunities to give back while she is studying in China.
While at Griffith she went on a short-term cultural exchange to Vietnam, providing school supplies to rural schools and forging relationships between students at Hanoi University and Griffith University.
“I had an incredibly lucky upbringing, with a middle class background and a supportive family,” she said.
“I feel compelled to do something for people who haven’t had those advantages.”
The high-flying Griffith Student Ambassador recently won the Australian Institute for International Affairs Queensland Asia-Pacific Scholarship. She is also a Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship recipient and a member of the Griffith Honours College.
After graduating next year she hopes to join an international law firm.
“It is such exciting work, and the clients you work with are so big and important,” she said.
“I would like to think that I can bring my passion for gender equality with me, and make sure I’m part of a corporate culture that empowers women and puts them in leadership positions.”
Griffith Business School student Leah Brokmann heads to Singapore next year confident that the life she has known on the Gold Coast for the past two years is about to change.
Leah, who has been named one of six 2017 New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholarship recipients from Griffith University, has chosen Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University for her six-month study tour which begins in January next year.
Leah chose Nanyang Technological for its reputation in South-East Asia as a business school.
“My only experience of Singapore so far is as a short stopover on my travels to Europe, so living in Singapore will be an exciting part of my NCP experience,” she said.
“I loved Singapore when I was there, for its atmosphere and its culture, but also because it is such a strong business centre for the region.”
The Bachelor of Business student, who is majoring in Sport Management and Marketing at Griffith University, is also looking forward to undertaking an internship with one of Singapore’s rising national sport organisations, Netball Singapore. It is the nation’s peak body for a sport that Leah has played at a senior level in her home state of NSW.
Netball is one of the fastest growing women’s sports in Singapore, with Netball Singapore boasting about 80,000 active members.
Big step towards a career
“It’s such a great opportunity and I hope to get some experience in Netball Singapore’s high-performance technical department as well as their national events program,” said Leah.
“Ultimately I want to work for a national sporting body in Australia, so this is a really big step towards the career I have always wanted.”
Netball is a consuming passion for Leah who grew up in Coffs Harbour on the NSW North Coast. She and her twin sister Natalee rose through the ranks of Netball NSW to make their first state championships back in 2007.
In 2015, Leah was named among 13 players in the Netball Merit Squad following her performance at the Clubs NSW Academy Games.
She moved to the Gold Coast in 2015 to begin her Bachelor of Business at Griffith Business School. Part of the allure was the upcoming Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“Working with the Commonwealth Games is something I’d like to achieve on my return, and I think my experience in Singapore will be invaluable,” said Leah.
Broader horizons internationally
“Either way I’d like to work on pinnacle events staged by Australian major sporting bodies, although I’m open to broadening my horizons internationally. Australia is an amazing place but if an opportunity opens up elsewhere I’d definitely jump at the chance.”
Leah, who was encouraged to apply for the NCP scholarship by Griffith Honours College Manager Dr Jeanne McConachie, says the NCP application process itself has been a huge learning experience.
“I’ve always considered myself to be quite a confident person, but through the nine-month application process my confidence has grown dramatically and that’s something that Jeanne instilled in me from the beginning,” she said.
“Through the NCP scholarship program, I hope to be able to hone my career goals to give me a definite perspective of what I want to pursue in my career. I’m also hoping the local culture in Singapore will impact me as well.
“I do know that this unique experience will bring great personal and professional connections, and hopefully establish one of the key goals of NCP, an educational passage for others. I’d like to think that in the near future I could help someone with similar interests experience this amazing journey as well.”
Six Griffith University students have been awarded prestigiousNew Colombo PlanScholarships to study at leading universities in Singapore,Hong Kong and China.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop announced the winners of the scholarships at a ceremony in Canberra on November 28.
A total of 105scholarswere selected nationally with candidates chosen based on academic excellence and community leadership skills.
The successful recipients from Griffith University are:
- Leah Brokmann:Bachelor of Business
- Elizabeth Dowrie:Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Government and International Relations
- Molly Jackson:Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Government and International Relations
- Kimberley Johnson:Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Government and International Relations
- Shaun Milligan: Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Business
- Georgia Toft:Bachelor of International Business/Bachelor of Government and International Relations
Griffith University Vice President (Global) Professor Sarah Todd congratulated the scholars, describing them as “fine ambassadors for Griffith and Australia.”
“These six NCP prestigious scholarships cement Griffith’s reputation as one of Australia’s leading universities for providing student experiences in Asia adds to the significant funding for short-term programs that Griffith has again been awarded this year to enable students to spend time studying in the region,” Professor Todd said.
“As a university, we are committed to enabling as many of our students as possible to either study or undertake an internship abroad, giving them an amazing experience and an edge in the employment market when they graduate.”
Globalised future
For Molly Jackson (pictured right), a fascination with other cultures led her to pursue a career in international law.
The fourth-year Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Government and International Relations student said a gap year after high school opened her eyes to the possibilities presented in a “globalised” future and gave her a “keener sense of the injustices that take place around the world”.
“Studying International Relations has taught me critical thinking skills and I have learnt a lot about the dynamics of global politics, particularly in relation to the Asia-Pacific,’’ she said.
“Law also allows me to develop advocacy skills, and to hopefully enter a career where I can deal with questions of justice daily.”
As part of her scholarship Molly will spend two semesters at Hong Kong University and learn Mandarin in China while researching investment protection at Peking University.
She also hopes to spend three months in Kiribati studying the effects of climate change on planned migrations of Pacific Island Peoples.
“I really believe that Australia should embrace its place in the Indo-Pacific, and I am beyond excited that this scholarship will allow me to spend almost two years in the region, experiencing another way of life, and hopefully, getting early access to Australia’s future,” she said.
“The NCP is essential for me to become the sort of future professional I want to be – global-minded, culturally-aware, well-connected, and most importantly – skilled.
“The NCP has given me access to opportunities like pursuing a career in international law, which otherwise might have just remained a pipe dream.”
Helping others
Since she was a young girl, Kim Johnson (pictured left) knew she wanted to study law so she could help people less fortunate than herself.
“I envisioned being a legal advocate, utilising the law as both a sword and a shield to protect human rights and empower disadvantaged groups in our society.”
As part of the New Colombo Plan scholarship, the Bachelor of Laws and Government and International Relations student will study law at the University of Hong Kong where she will also undertake a full-time internship at the Hong Kong Arbitration Centre.
“Being awarded the New Colombo Plan Scholarship is truly such an honour and I am so grateful to have been selected,’’ she said.
“This incredible opportunity means that I am able to fulfil my dream of studying overseas and immersing myself in a cultural context so different to that of my own.
“More importantly, the knowledge, professional networking connections and regional experience I will develop as a result of my NCP Scholarship Program means that I will have the necessary foundations for my future career in international law and policy in the Indo-Pacific region we call home.”
While Kim doesn’t have a specific job or location in mind, when she graduates she would like to obtain a position in an intergovernmental organisation such as the United Nations.
“I’d like to help develop effectivepolicies that enforce human rights and empower the disadvantaged in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Opportunities
The scholarships, awarded by the Australian Government, recognise high-achieving students who show a commitment to their community and potential as a future leader.
It also provides students with an opportunity to enhance their cultural understanding and employment potential and to create lasting bonds in the region.
Launched in 2013, the New Colombo Plan aims to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia, by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region.
The program also includes internships and mentorships, as well as flexible mobility grant programs for shorter-term practicums and research.
