ARCHIVED MEDIA RELEASE
PA/22/2002 25 November 2002
New Australian studies fellowships for Indian scholars
Indian students and scholars will soon be able to apply for fellowships to pursue studies in areas relating to Australia.
"These fellowships will enable Indian scholars to undertake research at the post-graduate level on a range of issues that have an Australian focus," said Mr Michael Abbott QC, Chairman, Australia-India Council (AIC), today.
"We will be looking to award these prestigious fellowships in areas such as Australian literature, politics and history; environment and health; tourism; film, media, communications and the performing arts; women's movements; multi-culturalism; and issues relating to Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders," said Mr Abbott.
The fellowships have been instituted under AIC's Australian Studies program involving Indian universities and will be administered by a consortium of Australian universities, led by the universities of Curtin, La Trobe, Monash and Queensland.
The Australia-India Council is a bilateral council of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Mr Abbott made the announcement at the inauguration of a one-day seminar on Australia-India Relations: Emerging Trends, organised by the AIC and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
The Australian High Commissioner to India, Ms Penny Wensley AO, welcomed the fellowships as a new step in the development of mutual understanding between Australia and India.
Speaking at the IGNOU seminar, she said that the Australian Government placed particular emphasis on strengthening links between Indian and Australian universities, and in this context welcomed the growing interest in Australian studies.
Details of the fellowships and the application form can be obtained from Ms M. Allan, South Asian Research Unit, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. E-mail: [email protected] . Phone: 61 8 9266 4482. Fax: 61 8 9266 3166. Applicants are also encouraged to see the website, www.dfat.gov.au/aic/
Initially, up to six senior and junior fellowships will be offered in 2003, for periods of from four to twelve weeks. The fellowship money can be used to cover an economy airfare to and from Australia, approved internal travel, accommodation and living allowance. The maximum amount for a single fellowship is AUD $10,000. The deadline for the first round of applications is 31 January 2003.