Adelaide takes lead with $15 million scholarships scheme

Friday, 14 August 1998

A multi-million-dollar scholarships package aimed at keeping the brightest South Australian students in the State and attracting excellent students from interstate and across the globe was launched today at the University of Adelaide.

The Adelaide Scholarships package totals $15 million, including full remission of fees for most scholarship winners and generous living allowances.

The Adelaide Scholarships represent a major new strategic development collaboration between the State Government, South Australian industry and the University.

For the most prestigious winners the new scheme will be worth up to $100,000 each, covering all fees plus $10,000 for living expenses over the course of the undergraduate degree and up to $30,000 for postgraduate study. The University believes they are among the most attractive scholarships available in Australia.

The scheme includes $3.5 million of new funds contributed by the University, the State Government and industry, and a revamp of existing scholarships.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, Professor Mary O'Kane, said the scholarships would provide assistance and encouragement for about 600 new students next year, with about 340 scholarships going to undergraduates.

"This announcement is a watershed for the University of Adelaide and the State of South Australia," she said. "The scholarships send a signal to the nation and the region that South Australia's leaders are working together to provide the best educational opportunities.

"The University of Adelaide, judged by objective measures, is one of the best universities in Australia - and Adelaide is one of the most attractive places in the world to study. This program will enhance Adelaide's growing position as an education city, with the aim of seeing thousands of students living and studying in the city centre."

The Minister Assisting the Premier for Information Economy, Dr Michael Armitage, said the Government believed the scheme would be critical to the State's economic future.

"The Government will provide $900,000 over the next three years to support scholarships at the University of Adelaide," Dr Armitage said.

"This will be a major strategic investment in the development of South Australia as a national and regional powerhouse for high technology industry.

"Information technology has become one of the State's fastest growing areas for employment. Research last year showed our IT and technology industries had an average growth rate of 28 per cent.

"This investment in the Adelaide Scholarships will help develop the success of our local high tech industries further. It will stop the flow of our brightest young people out of the State, and attract talented students from around Australia and overseas."

Details of the Adelaide Scholarships

The centrepiece of the new scheme is a group of 18 prestigious undergraduate scholarships for the best students from Australia and overseas (six will go to international students). Each scholarship winner will pay no fees for their entire undergraduate course and receive a yearly allowance of $10,000. Two matching scholarships for overseas students have been funded by the Alumni Association.

At the postgraduate level, the many existing Commonwealth and University-funded scholarships will be bolstered with 18 generous new scholarships. These places will be exempt from fees and HECS and will be worth up to $26,000 plus other benefits to the 12 Australian winners. Six international postgraduates will also benefit under the scheme.

New Enterprise Scholarships are an innovative feature of the package. These will encourage successful students with good business ideas to embark on enterprise education at the University. The International Enterprise Scholarships will enable excellent projects to be developed further in venture capital-rich "incubators" overseas, including the highly successful IC2 at the University of Texas in Austin.

In addition, 25 students will be awarded $3000 each to study for their Honours year at the University of Adelaide. Recognising the importance of science, the University's Science Faculty will reward 35 students with the $500 Adelaide Science scholarships. Adelaide is one of the nation's leading research universities and 75 students will receive an allowance to work for six weeks over summer with the University's world-class researchers, potentially laying the groundwork for a career in research.

One hundred students will receive $2500 to study overseas at one of the University of Adelaide's many partner institutions, as part of the University's distinctive Study Abroad program.

Adelaide Rural Scholarships, which exempt winners from HECS and include a $1000 allowance, will be awarded to 10 country students. Twenty similar scholarships will be awarded to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

A toll-free hotline - 1800 061 459 - has been established to handle inquiries about the scheme, or e-mail the University at sio@registry.adelaide.edu.au to receive an information package.

 

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Mr David Ellis
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