Record 13 students selected as New Colombo Plan Scholars

18/12/2024 | 4 mins

A record 13 undergraduates from The University of Western Australia are set to pursue their study dreams after being named as 2025 New Colombo Plan Scholars, highlighting the University's commitment to developing strong Indo-Pacific capabilities.

The scholars are part of a national cohort of 219 students from 33 Australian universities who will undertake study, language training and internships across 23 host locations for up to a year in 2025.

The New Colombo Plan Scholarships program is an Australian Government initiative aiming to increase knowledge of the Indo-Pacific, by supporting Australian undergraduates to engage in the region. 

UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Amit Chakma said the scholarships represent an extraordinary opportunity for our students to develop critical international skills and build deep, meaningful connections across the Indo-Pacific.

“By supporting our students to study, train and engage in this dynamic region, we’re not just investing in individual educational experiences, but in Australia's future global understanding and relationships,” Professor Chakma said.

Image: Nine of UWA's 2025 New Colombo Plan Scholars, back row (left to right) Asher Israel, Justin Truong, Ed Stoddart, Finn Lip, Jillo Karanja and front row (left to right) Jacinta Letizia, Kimberley Tay, Annabel Nguyen, Tyler Connelly.

The 2025 cohort will embark on diverse experiences across countries such as Bhutan, Indonesia, Fiji, Samoa and Hong Kong and includes:
Jillo Karanja, Bachelor of Commerce student who will study at the National University of Singapore.
Ashutosh Alung, Bachelor of Engineering student who will attend the National University of Singapore.
Asher Israel, Bachelor of Philosophy student who will attend the Royal Thimphu College in Bhutan.
Madelaine Baker, Bachelor of Science student who will study at the Maldives National University in Male.
Tyler Connelly, Bachelor of Philosophy student who will study at Gadjah Mada and Katolik Parahyangan Universities in Indonesia.
Casper (Ed) Stoddart, Bachelor of Philosophy student who will study at Katolik Parahyangan and Gadjah Mada Universities in Indonesia. 
Tin (Justin) Truong, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Modern Languages student who will attend the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Anh (Annabel) Nguyen, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Modern Languages student who will also attend the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Mei Qi (Kimberley) Tay, Bachelor of Philosophy student who will study in Japan.
Finn Lip, Bachelor of Philosophy student who will study at the National University of Singapore's Centre for Biomedical Ethics.
Jacinta Letizia, Bachelor of Commerce student who will attend Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China.
Tallulah Davison, Bachelor of Philosophy student who will study at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.
Natarsha Smith, Bachelor of Biomedicine student who will study at the National University of Samoa and Fijian National University.

“I’m ecstatic about this opportunity to spend a year in the trilingual and biliterate city, honing my Chinese language skills and diving into my interests in multilingualism and Asian varieties of English,” Ms Nguyen said.

“I'm really excited to learn from and contribute to the transition to AI-powered healthcare from two Indo-Pacific countries that are spearheading its real-world implementation,” Mr Lip said.

Image at top of page: (left to right) Jacinta Letizia, Asher Israel, Ed Stoddart, Madeline Baker and Tallulah Davison.

Media references

Liz McGrath, UWA Media Advisor, 08 6488 7975

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