Maldives held the Pre-departure briefing for the 2012 Australian Development Scholarship awardees on 22 December 2011 at Nasandhura Palace Hotel in Male’. The briefing was attended by officials from the Australian High Commission in Colombo as well as the Maldives Government. The Objective of the meeting was to provide awardees with the necessary information about travel to, living and studying in Australia. 

Mr.Edward Archibald, Counsellor AusAID Post in CMB, talking to the awardees at the PDB session	Some of the Australian Awards 2012 recipients at the PDB session

During the meeting the awardees were also briefed about their scholarship entitlements as well as their responsibilities of being an Australian Development Scholarship holder and an ambassador of the Maldives in Australia. Some of the topics covered in the briefing includes, arriving in Australia, Immigration formalities and requirements, what-to-take and what-not-to-take, settling-in, shopping, coping with studies and being away from home, making the best use of the opportunity, where to find support and help, etc. A panel of 5 Alumni attended the briefing who shared valuable information about their student life in Australia which the awardees found very useful. The presentations and facilitation of the briefing was carried out by SASP Regional Director Mr Neville Saunderson and SASP Country Coordinator Dr. Ibrahim Hassan with additional input by Ms Chandrika DeAlwis from AusAID.