New Colombo grants help Deakin students build global skills

The New Colombo Plan Mobility Program for 2018, announced on Friday by Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, will see 509 Deakin undergraduate students travel across the Indo-Pacific region to build their skills on a global scale, through semester long exchange, internships, study tours and language immersion programs.

Deakin Deputy Vice Chancellor (Global Engagement) Professor Gary Smith welcomed the Government's support for the program, which will give students the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the Indo-Pacific region and build important professional and personal networks.

"This is a fantastic program that encourages meaningful academic and industry engagement with some of our closest neighbours and we are delighted the Government is supporting it," Professor Smith said.

"The projects funded at Deakin cover a wide range of study areas including business, public health, environmental studies and communications, showing that no matter what your career path, time spent studying abroad is invaluable."

The 41 projects, including four multi-year projects funded under previous rounds, will take Deakin students to 15 different countries, from one of the world's fastest growing economies India, to the tiny island of Tuvalu in the South Pacific.

Programs include a water sanitation project in the Yasawa Islands (Fiji), and an industry based program in partnership with leading Japanese company, Mitsui & Co.

Support for the program from aged-care provider Arcare Pty Ltd will also send 14 students from Deakin"s School of Nursing and Midwifery to Bhutan where they will study primary health care, midwifery and aged care.

"Each of these opportunities to study, live and work outside of Australia will give Deakin students the chance to place their career goals in a global context, equipping them for the jobs of the future," Professor Smith said.