Curtin University student, Pratul Awasthi, is amongst the first group of 40 undergraduates to be awarded scholarships under the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan.
The scholarships will give recipients the opportunity to live, study and gain work experience in Japan, Indonesia, Singapore or Hong Kong during 2014.
A recipient of a John Curtin Undergraduate Scholarship and a BHP Billiton Science and Engineering undergraduate scholarship, Pratul is studying a double degree in Engineering and Commerce at Curtin.
The former Willetton Senior High School scholar is looking forward to a four month stay at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, which he says will enhance his learning and life experience.
“The scholarship will give me the opportunity to study in Singapore, which is a melting pot of diverse and varied cultures,” he said.
“I will be learning Mandarin, along with my engineering units and I am sure to forge lifelong friendships.
“My selection could not have been possible without the assistance of Curtin Scholarships, Study Abroad, and Student Exchange Offices, who supported me through the entire process,” Pratul said.
The scholarships were presented to recipients by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Julie Bishop, and Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC.
The New Colombo Plan is a flagship program of the Australian Government that aims to lift knowledge of the Indo Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region.
The Australian Government has committed $100 million over five years to the New Colombo Plan and it will be expanded to other nations in the region from 2015.
