Australia sends new batch of Filipino scholars for 2010

DAVAO CITY — Around 52 Filipino professionals, with 33 coming from Mindanao, will leave for Australia in January 2010 to pursue post-graduate studies in different fields at Australian universities.

The scholars were awarded with Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) by the Philippines-Australia Human Resource Development Facility (PAHRDF) through its long-term training (LTT) program.

The scholars will pursue post-graduate studies in different priority disciplines including human resource management, public administration, public policy and educational leadership.

“It is important to build the capacity of key institutions in the country, including Mindanao, in organizational development and other skills and disciplines, so that the Philippines can reach its own development goals and deliver services more effectively to the people,” said Trisha Gray, First Secretary of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) during the pre-departure briefing held here last week.

Gray said that the scholarship program is extended to countries in the Asia-Pacific region but stressed that Philippines is an important partner.

The pre-departure briefing focused on helping scholars prepare for their studies not only in terms of scholarship responsibilities and requirements but also familiarizing them about living and studying in Australia

“Filipinos are known to be flexible and adaptive. So far, our PAHRDF awardees are able adjust fairly well in the culture and academic lifestyle in Australia, although the Australian educational system is different from the Philippines our awardees have performed well,” said PAHRDF’s Director Milalin Javellana.

Javellana also said that scholars have gained high distinction in their grades while some are even invited to present their papers during academic affairs in the university.

PAHRDF said that about 80 Filipino scholars are awarded Australian Development Scholarships annually.

PAHRDF, a five-year, Php2.3 billion (A$60 million) initiative of the Australian Government, aims to assist partner national and local government agencies, academic institutions, and private organizations to address key organizational needs to enable these entities to provide better services and manage their institutions more effectively.

The scholars are expected to return to the country after completing their studies and apply the knowledge and skills they gained from their scholarships through their Re Entry Action Plan (REAP) to contribute to the organizational change of their respective institutions. In this way, the scholarship program has a larger impact on broader Philippine development, a statement from AusAID read.

“We have a very good track record of scholars returning and implementing their action plans,” said Gray.

In Mindanao, scholars came from Davao City Chamber of Commerce, Davao City Government, Provincial Governments of Agusan del Sur, Misamis Occidental and Surigao del Norte.

Some scholars also came from the academe which include Assumption College of Nabunturan, Cor Jesu College, Holy Cross of Calinan, Holy Cross of Davao, Mindanao State University in General Santos and Tawi-Tawi, Notre Dame of Marbel, Southern Christian College, University of Mindanao in Davao and Tagum, University of Southeastern Philippines, and Western Mindanao State University.

This year, PAHRDF also sent 2 scholars from the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) who will be completing a one-year scholarship from the University of Adelaide this December and by July 2010.

“I hope that they (scholars) have a rewarding, enriching and fun time in Australia not just all about the study; I hope they would also make friends with Australians and people from other countries who will also be studying,” said Gray. MEDCo