In South and West Asia, Australia Awards Scholarships offer master’s degree-level study in fields agreed with partner governments and aligned with Australia’s development, economic and public diplomacy priorities.

In South and West Asia, Australia Awards Scholarships are available to applicants in Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The study and life experience opportunities provided by Australia Awards Scholarships develop the skills and knowledge of emerging leaders to drive change and contribute to development of their countries.

In 2017, 211 Australia Awards Scholarships were offered to successful applicants in South and West Asia for study commencing in 2018.

An intensive and targeted promotional campaign attracted almost 2,000 prospective applicants to Information Sessions and resulted in 13 applications being submitted for every available Scholarship.

Considerable effort was put into ensuring equity of access to the Scholarships, in line with Australia Award’s Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Strategy for South and West Asia. In four of the six participating countries, at least 50 per cent of Scholarships for study commencing in 2018 were awarded to women, and across the region as a whole, women accounted for 48 per cent of Scholarships offered and accepted. Five per cent of Scholarships were awarded to people with disability.

305 continuing scholars were supported in their ongoing studies at Australian institutions through a range of professional development and networking opportunities.  

Eighty scholars from across the region completed their studies, obtained their Australian degree and returned home as Australia Awards alumni to contribute to their country’s development. Without exception, all scholars due to complete successfully completed, and all returned home. Return Home Workshops were delivered across Australia for completing scholars to ensure that they were prepared for the transition back to their home environments and focused on their future responsibilities and contributions as alumni.

Globally, alumni of Australia’s education institutions are highly talented, mobile, and equipped with skills and knowledge made possible by their Australian qualifications. They are current and future leaders, influencers and change-makers.
‍
In South and West Asia, Australia Awards strives to support strong Australia Awards alumni communities in each country—communities that actively engage with, develop linkages with and promote Australia.

In 2017, Australia Awards in South and West Asia put substantial effort into expanding and updating the contact details of Australia Awards alumni stored on the Global Alumni Network database. By December 2017, active email addresses for almost 4,000 alumni had been recorded—an increase of 40 per cent over December 2016.

Recently-returned alumni were engaged through Reintegration Workshops conducted across six countries for 175 participants. In 2017 Australia Awards also facilitated 38 country-level alumni engagement events in South and West Asia, attended by 1,700 alumni.

The 2017 Regional Alumni Workshop took the form of an Alumni Innovation Challenge, providing grants to enable 35 alumni to pilot a Development Innovation in areas of priority for the Australian Government in their country. In addition to seed funding, grant recipients also received mentoring support.

Australia Awards alumni were involved in operations across the region, including assisting with the promotion of Australia Awards; mentoring applicants and new Australia Awards recipients; sitting on shortlisting and selection panels; contributing to Pre-Departure Briefings and Reintegration Workshops; and sitting on interview panels for the recruitment of staff.