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Wednesday, 12 May 2004

Optus, an Australian leader in integrated communications, and a strong supporter of tertiary education, has committed $75,000 in scholarship funding to the University of Adelaide for 2004 and 2005.

In making the announcement today, Mr Harvey Marcus, State Manager South Australia, said Optus is a strong supporter of education in Australia and has enjoyed a long-standing corporate partnership with the University of Adelaide.

"The scholarships are a fantastic opportunity for young people to develop their skills and further their career prospects," Mr Marcus said.

"We value innovative thinking and people who strive to achieve, so we are proud to support and encourage students on the basis of strong academic merit.

"We are excited about the extension of our partnership and the benefits we bring the students through the partnership," he said.

The University's Vice-Chancellor Professor James McWha said over the two-year period there would be five, one-year scholarships to would be awarded in a range of areas based on academic achievement.

"We are extremely appreciative of Optus' generous sponsorship and it will facilitate the offering of additional scholarships over the prescribed timeframe," Professor McWha said.

In 2004 and 2005, one international part scholarship worth $10,000 each would be awarded to a commencing student and would be allocated toward the student's fees.

In addition, two Honours scholarships worth $7,500 each; one scholarship valued at $5,000 for a commencing student from a rural area and a $5,000 scholarship for a commencing student with a disability will also be awarded during the same period.

Optus is a subsidiary of SingTel and serves more than six million customers daily. It provides a broad range of communications services including mobile, national and long distance services, and Internet and satellite services.