Australia Awards

Australia Awards are prestigious international scholarships offering the next generation of global leaders an opportunity to undertake study, research and professional development in Australia.

Australia Awards are a whole of Australian government initiative bringing together scholarships administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.

Alumni News

Sunday, January 24, 2021 - 18:55

Proof of impact: Research highlights alumni contributions to economic growth in Bangladesh

Australia Awards Global Tracer Facility Case Study conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research

Australia Awards is proud of the efforts of all alumni in contributing to economic growth and sustainable development. The specific impacts achieved in these areas by a selection of alumni in Bangladesh have been documented in an Australia Awards Global Tracer Facility Case Study conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research.

The Case Study, released in 2020, found that these alumni are contributing to Bangladesh’s development through societal-level impact in areas such as fiscal and international trade policy and through organisational impact by leading capacity building activities. The alumni—who all graduated or completed a Fellowship between 2011 and 2016—demonstrated technical and thematic expertise in their respective roles in the finance and economics sector and contributed in various ways to economic growth, sustainable development and fiscal reform.

Human rights activist innovates to address health and food security for Bangladesh’s indigenous peoples

To mark International Human Rights Day, #AustraliaAwards in #Bangladesh celebrates the achievements of alumna and indigenous rights activist Rani (Queen) Yan Yan in addressing the needs of marginalised groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. To minimise the risks and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in her community, Rani Yan Yan acted swiftly and introduced a simple and low-cost water supply system to encourage handwashing in remote indigenous communities. She also addressed the issue of food security by collaborating with BRAC to mobilise emergency relief support for at least 5,000 families living in remote villages in Bangladesh.

Alumni Stories

Qais Khalil - Developing National Policy Agenda in Palestine

Qais Khalil returned to Palestine at the end of 2014, after completing his Masters in Public Administration and Diplomacy at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.

Alumnus campaigning for the rights of indigenous peoples in Asia

Australia Awards alumnus and long-term human rights campaigner Shohel Chandra Hajang promotes and protects the rights of indigenous peoples through advocacy, lobbying and campaigning at national, regional and international levels. He is working with indigenous communities so that they can participate in human rights mechanisms and processes to have their concerns heard.

Hari Prasad Uprety: Equipped to make changes in the disability sector in Nepal

Hari Prasad Uprety has recently completed a Master of Disability Policy and Practice at Flinders University with the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship. Before coming to Australia, Hari was a college teacher and an activist for child and disability rights in Nepal.

Shudarson Subedi: Mainstreaming disability rights in Nepal

Two-time President of National Federation of the Disabled – Nepal, Australia Awards alumnus Shudarson Subedi has advocated for disability rights for more than 25 years. In that time, his efforts have had a major impact on national level policies.