AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION
ISLAMABAD
 

27 May 2011

Media release

Australian High Commissioner honours Australian alumni in Islamabad

Australia’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, His Excellency Tim George and Australia’s Senior Trade Commissioner to South Asia, Mr Peter Linford hosted a reception for alumni of Australian educational institutions at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad on 27 May.

The High Commissioner said that he was pleased that more than 5000 Pakistani students had chosen Australia for their studies. He said he hoped that this number would continue to grow, as more Pakistani students become aware of the high-quality educational opportunities provided by Australian institutions. Seven Australian universities rank among the world’s top universities, according to Times Higher Education Supplement.

Because of their deep understanding of Australia, Mr George said he wanted the alumni of Australian educational institutions to act as ‘ambassadors for Australia’ and to encourage them to tell their friends and family about their educational and other experiences in Australia.

The High Commissioner also said there were some obvious connections between the alumni and Australia’s business interests in Pakistan. He encouraged greater interaction between the alumni and members of the Australian and Pakistan business community, including through the Pakistan-Australia Business Forum.

In addition to private students choosing Australia for their studies, the Australian Government also offers a variety of education, research and professional development opportunities through two Australia Awards scholarship programs. Since 1991, the Australian Agency for International Development, AusAID has provided over 400 scholarships to Pakistani students.

The Endeavour Awards is the Australian Government’s internationally competitive, merit-based scholarships program providing opportunities to undertake study, research and development in Australia. The Australian Development Scholarships Program contributes to strengthening Pakistan’s human resource capacities by providing Masters-level scholarships in areas aligned with Pakistan’s development priorities.

The High Commissioner said that he was ‘personally delighted to see the expansion of educational linkages between Australia and Pakistan’ which was part of a much broader and deeper engagement between the two countries in recent years.

Contact: Jon Bonnar, +92 51 835 5346