PA/44/12 20 November 2012
New Australian scholarship for Indian teachers
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and the University of Adelaide launched a new scholarship for outstanding Indian teachers on 19 November at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi.
"This scholarship offers to Indian teachers the potentially life-changing experience in the form of an international scholarship," Mr Weatherill said.
"South Australia is home to nearly 20,000 people of Indian origin and we host nearly 5000 Indian students so it is an increasingly important market for us,” added Mr Weatherill.
Speaking at the launch, Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner, Dr Lachlan Strahan said “education and knowledge are front and centre of the Australia-India relationship.”
“This new scholarship, made possible through the generosity of Professor Ashok Kurana, will assist in building the knowledge partnership between our two countries by allowing one dedicated Indian teacher to undertake a Master of Education in Australia each year before returning to India to share their experience with others.”
University of Adelaide Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) Professor Pascale Quester said the Ashok Khurana Scholarship would not only benefit the successful teachers, but enhance the already strong education ties between Australia and India.
The scholarship will support the postgraduate education of a practising and tertiary qualified school teacher working in the Indian education system.
One scholarship will be awarded to an Indian national undertaking a Master of Education at the University of Adelaide, valued at AUD$38,500 for one year.
The scholarship is named after Professor Ashok Khurana, a former University of Adelaide staff member. He generously established the scholarship so that he could give back to the Indian education system from which he benefitted.
“My life was changed by a scholarship. As a young man in India I received a scholarship to study at the University of Adelaide, which lead to 39 years in Australia,” Professor Khurana says.
“After a successful career as an engineer in the petroleum industry, I reflected on the benefits that my family and I received as a result of studying in Australia.
“I felt a great debt to the Indian education and to the Australian nation for welcoming me as an immigrant and giving me every opportunity in life.”
Professor Pascale Quester says: “This scholarship is a great example of Australia giving back to India, of the strength of the Indian community in Adelaide, and of the Indian diaspora retaining connections with the mother country.”