Vietnamese applicants outstanding in 2016 Endeavour Scholarships round

Thirteen applicants from Vietnam have been awarded scholarships to study their PhDs in Australia under the prestigious Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships program. Vietnam received the highest number of PhD awards for any country, for the second year in a row. “This is a testament to the calibre and initiative of Vietnamese scholars,” said Australian Ambassador HE Mr Hugh Borrowman.

The Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships are internationally competitive scholarships which promote knowledge, education links and enduring ties between Australia and its neighbours. Categories include vocational education and training, professional development, research fellowships and postgraduate Masters and PHD scholarships. The scholarships and fellowships for 2016 were announced by the Australian Government on 5 November.

In making the announcement, the Minister for International Education, Senator Richard Colbeck said “these scholarships will support 500 international students to study in Australia and 198 Australian students to further their skills and knowledge overseas while building their international awareness”.

Around 4,000 applications are received each year from over 125 eligible countries. The applications are assessed on merit and there are no country quotas. Of the 55 countries receiving awards, Vietnam received 39 scholarships overall, the third highest number for any country. In addition to the 13 PhD scholarships, this includes 5 Masters scholarships, 8 research fellowships, 10 executive fellowships and 3 vocational education and training scholarships. This is a significant achievement for Vietnam, reflecting the quality of Vietnamese applications and the high level of interest in studying in Australia.

Vietnamese scholarship holders will be studying in fields as diverse as education, agriculture, engineering, health and management, across 17 Australian universities.

Endeavour Scholarship and Fellowship recipients will gain access to leaders in their field of study, as well as in business and government, and will develop ongoing education, research and professional linkages that last well beyond their programme. They will also be able to share in experiences to deepen their understanding of another culture.

Five Australians have received an Endeavour Scholarship or Fellowship to study in Vietnam in 2016, 4 for post-doctoral research in agriculture, law, injury prevention and community development and one for a professional development experience at the Hanoi Medical University.

Applications for the 2017 round of Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships will open in early April 2016 and close on 30 June 2016.