The University of Wollongong has been awarded more than $1.4 million from the Federal Government’s New Colombo Plan (NCP) 2020 Mobility funding. The amount for the upcoming year is the most generous NCP grant on record for UOW, and an increase of 20 per cent on 2019 funding.
The New Colombo Plan is a signature initiative of the Australian Government which aims to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific region in Australia and establish study in the Indo-Pacific as a rite of passage for Australian students.
About half of UOW’s funding for 2020 had been announced as forward funding in previous rounds, and UOW was successful in attaining $716,100 in the 2020 round. The funds will allow more than 300 UOW students to study in Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Nepal, New Caledonia, Taiwan, Cambodia, China, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, India and the Solomon Islands.
Successful UOW projects range across a variety of disciplines, including Engineering and Information Technology, Management and Commerce, Health, Education and Society and Culture.
Across Australia, a total of $28.7 million has been awarded under the 2020 round to support Australian undergraduate students to participate in semester and short-term mobility programs in the Indo-Pacific. Foreign Minister Senator Marise Payne announced the funding on 14 October 2019.
UOW Vice Chancellor Paul Wellings CBE said the funding would enrich the student experience and allow for University researchers to partner with researcher teams abroad.
“UOW is a key player in the vision for our region and country, bringing communities from around the world together in discovery, innovation and commerce,” Professor Wellings said.
“We believe an exchange of knowledge across national and cultural borders enriches all involved.
“New Colombo Plan funding unlocks a wealth of opportunities for students and researchers alike and connects us to our closest neighbours.”
UOW’s successful projects this year include:
1. Amir Arjomandi, Faculty of Business
Constraints to Growth in Solomon Islands’ Economy: Economics and Finance Applied Research Projects- Solomon Islands ($33,000)
2. Willy Susilo, Jun Shen and Fenghui Ren, Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences
Cross Cultural Summer Schools - UOW and XIDIAN, BJTU and CCNU - China ($85,000)
3. Weihua Li, Ting Ren, Lip Teh and Yue Zhao, Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences
Engineering Students attending Elite Summer Schools at Leading Chinese Universities - China ($105,600)
4. Karen Tonge and Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett, Faculty of Social Sciences
Early Childhood Education and Care in International Contexts - Taiwan ($46,200)
5. Sean Lu, Faculty of Business
Semester in Hong Kong- Hong Kong ($38,500)
6. Michael Adams, Faculty of Social Sciences
Regional India: Environment and Society in Cross-cultural Context: Consortium with UTS - India ($66,000)
7. Faisal Hai, Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences
Environmental Sustainability Projects for Humanitarian and Economic Value Outcomes - India ($39,600)
8. Shahriar Akter, Faculty of Business
Experiencing Indonesian Business and Management Practices in the New Era of Free Trade Agreement - Indonesia ($56,100)
9. Anura De Zoysa, Faculty of Business
Developing an Asia Capable Workforce: Lessons from Japanese Business Management Practices - Japan ($30,800)
10. Maria Kim, Sean Lu, Ashley Tanks, Tanya Austin and Julie Forrest, Faculty of Business and Office of Global Student Mobility
Providing a Global Orientation for Students through a Semester Exchange in the Republic of Korea - Republic of Korea ($61,600)
11. Nelson Perera and Sean Lu, Faculty of Business
Business Study Tour: How Business Operates in Malaysia and Singapore - Malaysia and Singapore ($66,000)
12. Martin O’Brien, Faculty of Business
Inclusive Economic Growth: Reducing Poverty and Inequality in Developing Asian Economies - Thailand and Laos ($33,000)
13. Rita Chang, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health
Nursing in an International Context - Taiwan ($16,500)
14. Ashley Tanks, Tanya Austin and Julie Forrest, Office of Global Student Mobility
Strengthening New Partnerships: University of Malaya - Malaysia ($30,800)
