Media Releases 2008

29 July 2008

Chilean-Australian educational ties strengthened: Government of the Republic of Chile / Universities Australia JOINT MEDIA RELEASE

Universities Australia and the Government of the Republic of Chile today signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will provide support for up to 500 Chilean PhD and Masters students each year to study in Australian universities over the next five to ten years.

Cooperation between the countries will involve scholarships and exchange for PhD and Masters students, graduate internships and fellowships, joint research programs, postdoctoral programs and English language teacher training.

The scholarships have been established under the US$ 200 million Chilean Bicentennial Scholarship Fund recently announced by the President of Chile, Mrs Michelle Bachellet.

"Universities Australia is pleased to have played a key role in bringing this agreement into effect, and the benefits for our two countries are wide-ranging," said Professor Richard Larkins, Universities Australia Chair.

The Fund allows the Government of Chile, and other competitive funding sources, to support scholars by covering living expenses for scholarship holders while enrolled in Australia; funding tuition and fees for scholarship holders not granted monetary awards from Australian universities; and providing return economy air travel from Chile to Australia.

Each year in collaboration with the Chilean Bicentennial Committee for Human Capital Development, Universities Australia will determine the number of university places in Australia available under the Program for selected students. Universities Australia will help scholarship holders with access to information on student visas to enable study in Australia and help scholarship holders make their applications to Australian universities.

The MoU signed in Sydney today complements the agreement on cooperation in the field of education between Chile and Australia, and the Free Trade Agreement to be signed by the Australian Government and the Government of the Republic of Chile in Canberra on Wednesday July 30.

-ENDS-

Contacts:
Mr Frank Tressler, First Secretary, Embassy of Chile, Canberra - Mobile: 0403 256 038
Dr Rebecca Harris, Director - Communication & Government Relations, Universities Australia - Mobile: 0400 166 691