Published Thursday, 24 May, 2007 at 07:15 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Minister for Education and Training and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Rod Welford
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
FULBRIGHT QUEENSLAND SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCED
Representing Queensland Premier Peter Beattie tonight Minister for State Development John Mickel announced that the State Government will contribute $250,000 towards the establishment of an annual Fulbright Queensland Scholarship.
Mr Mickel and Education and Training Minister Rod Welford said the Government would match the universities’ one-off contribution of $250,000 to set up the perpetual award.
“Tonight 22 outstanding Australians have been awarded Fulbright Scholarships, three of whom are from Queensland.
“Queenslanders do typically perform well in the highly competitive national selection process for these prestigious scholarships but as of 2008, Queensland candidates will have even greater opportunity,” Mr Mickel said.
Mr Welford said the Government was pleased to support universities and research institutes as drivers of innovation and social and economic development.
“This scholarship will provide opportunities for successive generations of talented researchers as part of our Smart State commitment,” Mr Welford said.
“I encourage all talented Queensland scholars to consider applying for this scholarship.”
Mr Mickel said that the Fulbright Queensland Scholarship would be administered by the Australian-American Fulbright Commission which was established in 1949. It will be granted to a talented Queenslander working on a project of specific relevance and benefit to Queensland.
“What we recognise is that the Fulbright Program is the largest and one of the most prestigious educational and cultural exchange programs in the world. Established in 1946, it now operates between the United States and 150 countries.
“Like the Queensland-Smithsonian Fellowship program – a joint initiative between the Queensland Government and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. – the new scholarship will help build on the relationship between Queensland and the United States,”he said.
Mr Welford said the annual Fulbright Scholarships are awarded to more than 20 Australian postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers, academics and professionals to undertake study or research in America. A similar number of Americans are awarded Fulbright Scholarships to pursue study or research in Australia.
The scholarships provide recipients with the time, financial support and prestige to work with leading people in their chosen field in any university or organisation.
“Scholars also benefit from lifetime membership in a distinguished network that includes Queenslanders Professor Peter Coaldrake, Vice Chancellor of the Queensland University of Technology and Chair of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, Ross Fitzgerald, well-known writer, broadcaster, administrator and political commentator, and Kathleen Daly, Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University,” Mr Welford said.
“International alumni include the writer Umberto Eco, Noble Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, and former United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.”
The Queensland recipients of 2007 Fulbright Scholarships are:
• Steven Lane, Princess Alexandra Hospital (being awarded a Postgraduate Scholarship in Medicine);
• Kristy Vernon, Queensland University of Technology (being awarded a Postgraduate Scholarship in Technology and Communications); and
• Mai Tran, Queensland Institute of Medical Research (being awarded a Postdoctoral Scholarship in Immunology and Biology).
More information on the 2007 Fulbright Scholars, including profiles, is available online at www.fulbright.com.au
Media contact:
Minister Mickel: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
Minister Welford: Marnie Stitz 3237 1000
24 May, 2007
Mr Mickel and Education and Training Minister Rod Welford said the Government would match the universities’ one-off contribution of $250,000 to set up the perpetual award.
“Tonight 22 outstanding Australians have been awarded Fulbright Scholarships, three of whom are from Queensland.
“Queenslanders do typically perform well in the highly competitive national selection process for these prestigious scholarships but as of 2008, Queensland candidates will have even greater opportunity,” Mr Mickel said.
Mr Welford said the Government was pleased to support universities and research institutes as drivers of innovation and social and economic development.
“This scholarship will provide opportunities for successive generations of talented researchers as part of our Smart State commitment,” Mr Welford said.
“I encourage all talented Queensland scholars to consider applying for this scholarship.”
Mr Mickel said that the Fulbright Queensland Scholarship would be administered by the Australian-American Fulbright Commission which was established in 1949. It will be granted to a talented Queenslander working on a project of specific relevance and benefit to Queensland.
“What we recognise is that the Fulbright Program is the largest and one of the most prestigious educational and cultural exchange programs in the world. Established in 1946, it now operates between the United States and 150 countries.
“Like the Queensland-Smithsonian Fellowship program – a joint initiative between the Queensland Government and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. – the new scholarship will help build on the relationship between Queensland and the United States,”he said.
Mr Welford said the annual Fulbright Scholarships are awarded to more than 20 Australian postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers, academics and professionals to undertake study or research in America. A similar number of Americans are awarded Fulbright Scholarships to pursue study or research in Australia.
The scholarships provide recipients with the time, financial support and prestige to work with leading people in their chosen field in any university or organisation.
“Scholars also benefit from lifetime membership in a distinguished network that includes Queenslanders Professor Peter Coaldrake, Vice Chancellor of the Queensland University of Technology and Chair of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, Ross Fitzgerald, well-known writer, broadcaster, administrator and political commentator, and Kathleen Daly, Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University,” Mr Welford said.
“International alumni include the writer Umberto Eco, Noble Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, and former United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.”
The Queensland recipients of 2007 Fulbright Scholarships are:
• Steven Lane, Princess Alexandra Hospital (being awarded a Postgraduate Scholarship in Medicine);
• Kristy Vernon, Queensland University of Technology (being awarded a Postgraduate Scholarship in Technology and Communications); and
• Mai Tran, Queensland Institute of Medical Research (being awarded a Postdoctoral Scholarship in Immunology and Biology).
More information on the 2007 Fulbright Scholars, including profiles, is available online at www.fulbright.com.au
Media contact:
Minister Mickel: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
Minister Welford: Marnie Stitz 3237 1000
24 May, 2007