Fiji Citizens Receive Australian Leadership Awards For Study in Australia

3 December 2009

Six Fiji citizens have been awarded a prestigious Australian Leadership Award and will be undertaking Masters and Doctorate studies in Australia from 2010.

The Australian Leadership Awards, provided through the Australian Government’s aid program, provide high quality education to current and emerging leaders in the Asia Pacific.

Australia’s Minister Counsellor for Pacific Development Cooperation, Ms Judith Robinson, hosted a farewell cocktail event for the students on Wednesday 2 December at the Australian High Commission in Suva.

“Support for good leadership is a key theme of Australia’s development cooperation with all its partners,” Ms Robinson said.

“Leaders help to shape the future, both in their own countries and in the region. They are integral to the region’s development.”

Australian Leadership Awards are offered in 28 countries across Asia and the Pacific, with 175 awards provided each year. 17 Awards have been taken up by Fiji citizens since the program was introduced in 2006.

Also present at the cocktail event were past Award graduates.

“I would like to congratulate the ten Australian Leadership Award alumni who successfully completed their studies in Australia and have returned to Fiji,” Ms Robinson said.

“This group has returned with enhanced leadership abilities that can be applied for the benefit of the people of Fiji and the wider Pacific.”

In addition to formal study, the Award includes a Leadership Development Program. This includes a three day conference in Canberra, workshops, leadership coaching and temporary work attachments in relevant Australian institutions. It enhances participants’ understanding of leadership challenges, helps them to apply their leadership skills, and provides important regional and international networking opportunities for students.

The six Fiji Leadership awardees are: Mr Opeta Alefaio - National Archives; Mr Pita Bulamainaivalu - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions; Ms Vanisha Mishra - USP (PhD); Mr Romulo Nayacalevu - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Mr Raymond Prasad - Reserve Bank of Fiji (PhD); and Mr Henry Sanday - Pacific Island Private Sector Organisation (PhD).

Vanisha Mishra, 23, is the youngest person ever to receive an Australian Leadership Award for Doctorate studies.

The Australian Government also provides over F$1.7m each year - for around 10 scholarships - for study, up to Masters level, by Fiji citizens in Australia.

**ENDS**