Since the Colombo Plan in the 1950s, scholarships have been an important component of the Australian Government’s overseas aid program, supporting its aim to help developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development. 

The Australian Ambassador to Nepal, Ms. Susan Grace with Nepal Government's secretary of the Ministry of Education, Mr Kishore Thapa; Mr. Damoder Kanel, Endeavour Awardee and First Secretary AusAID, Mr. Benjamin Reese on 29 November.	Development Awards Awardees with certificates for Intake 2012.

The Australian Government has been providing various scholarships to Nepal since 1995.  The Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) was started since 1997 and Australian Leadership Awards Scholarships (ALAS) since 2007 for Nepali students to undertake tertiary education in Australia. The program aims to improve the human resource capacity of Nepal through skill development in priority areas.  Around 313 students have benefited from the scholarships program, which includes 57 Australian Leadership Awards (ALA) Scholarships recipients.  

This year’s group is among the 92 (57 ALAS and 35 ADS) Nepalese that have received long-term scholarships from the Australian Government since the opening of Australian Leadership Awards in 2007 and the re-instatement of the Australia Development Scholarships in 2010 in Nepal.

20 students will depart Nepal from January 2012 to commence study in Australia as recipients of an Australian Development and Leadership Award Scholarships.  8 students have also received the prestigious Australian Leadership Award Scholarships.  Both Australian Development Scholarships and Australian Leadership Award Scholarships are provided by AusAID as part of the Australia Awards.

South Asia Scholarships Program (SASP) organized a pre-departure briefing event with assistance from the Association of the Nepalese Alumni from Australia (ANAA) on 16 November 2011.  Similarly, Australian Embassy jointly with AEI, Austrade and AusAID organized an Alumni reception and a Launch of the ‘Endeavours of Excellence’ Book on 19 November inviting more than 200 guests from a cross-section of society connected with the Australia Awards.  On the occasion, current Intake 2012 awardees of the Australia Awards (Endeavour, Australian Development Scholarships and Australian Leadership Award Scholarships) were awarded with certificates. 

At the pre-departure briefing, Mr Benjamin Reese, First Secretary, Development Cooperation addressed the outgoing awardees in Kathmandu, saying: “As the students of today and as the leaders of tomorrow, you are pioneers in one of the most challenging, innovating and exciting periods in history.  You are placed to re-shape things that are old and realise the dreams of Nepal.  The rewards are great, but so too are the responsibilities that will fall on your shoulders.  To rise to the challenge of this first truly global age.”

The students will undertake post-graduate (Masters and PhD) studies in a diverse range of key development areas such as economics, education, environment, development studies and health at an Australian university of their choice.

Two thirds of the students are women and from ethnic minorities which reflects the high priority Australia places on equity in its selection of scholarship candidates.

Many of the students are originally from out of Kathmandu, the capital city.

At the Alumni reception and a Launch of the ‘Endeavours of Excellence’ Book on 19 November , the Australian Ambassador, H.E. Ms. Susan Grace addressed the audience in Kathmandu, saying: “Around 370 Nepalese have been supported by Australian Government scholarships through the Endeavour Awards, Australian Leadership Awards and Australian Development Scholarships programs” and further added that the Australian Government has shown its commitment to building and maintaining these links by supporting the new Association of Nepalese Alumni from Australia (ANAA).

At the same event, Mr Benjamin Reese, First Secretary, Development Cooperation addressed the alumni and awardees in Kathmandu, saying: “I see the significant roles many of our Alumni play in Government and civil society and know that our education partnership is making the most of these opportunities.  I see our soon to deploy awardees building on the strong foundation many of our Alumni have built. I see the fellowships we offer strengthening Government to Government links and illustrating some of the ways the Government of Australia works that might assist Nepal.  Australia is committed, as a strong development partner to Nepal, to continue to assist the promising leaders of tomorrow in realising Nepal’s amazing potential.”