Twenty scholarships will be exclusively reserved for students studying, living in or from regional Victoria, each providing $10,000 in financial support.
Announcing the initiative in Beijing as part of the launch of ‘Victoria’s China Strategy: For a New Golden Era’, Premier Jacinta Allan said the regional vision came from her own experiences.
“Studying in Asia and immersing myself in a language was an opportunity that didn’t feel within reach to us as country kids in the ’90s, but it should now,” she said.
The program has a long history of building cultural and economic bridges.
Previous rounds of the Hamer Scholarship included study options in China, Indonesia, Japan and Korea, with an extension to Chengdu University in 2016 to mark Victoria’s new sister-state status with Sichuan Province.
Over the years, recipients have ranged from engineers and scientists to start-up founders and educators — many of whom have gone on to build international careers.
The scholarships were put on hold after 2019 due to pandemic travel restrictions.
Now, their relaunch provides a significant boost for regional students and represents an investment in the future of Victoria, according to Economic Growth and Jobs Minister Danny Pearson.
“This program gives regional students a chance to experience something that will profoundly shape their lives,” he said.
“Over time, they’ll help boost Victoria’s standing as a globally connected economy.”
Application details and dates will be announced soon.
