Maitri Scholarship Program opens to Indian STEM students

Applications are open for the inaugural Maitri Scholars Program to support India’s best and brightest STEM students to complete postgraduate degrees at Australian universities. 

The Federal Government has invested $11.2 million in the program which will provide scholarships to around 45 students in the next four years.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Maitri Scholars Program will deepen scientific and research collaboration between Australia and India in emerging sectors of advanced manufacturing, critical technology, critical minerals and clean energy solutions. 

“In supporting India’s brightest minds in STEM research, the Maitri Scholarships set the foundations for life-long connections for Australian and Indian leaders in new and emerging technology,” said Ms Wong. 

Calling all Australian universities – our Maitri scholarship program is now open for universities to nominate top Indian PHD and Masters’ students in STEM.
For more information: Maitri Scholars Program (https://t.co/anGqF4Lgg9)@dfat @AusHCIndia @AusCGChennai @AusCG_Mumbai pic.twitter.com/GFu7Cun3ge

— Centre for Australia-India Relations (@AusIndiaCentre) October 4, 2023

Scholarships will be administered by the Centre for Australia-India Relations, CAIR.

They will be open to all Australian universities who can nominate PhD and master’s students.

“The program reinforces Australia’s credentials as a provider of quality education and will help to catalyse professional development, links with industry and research commercialisation,” said Centre for Australia-India Relations CEO Tim Thomas.

The Maitri Scholars Program is a recommendation of An Update to the India Economic Strategy to 2035, aimed at creating life-long connections and goodwill between our countries.

Education Minister Jason Clare, who has just returned from India to further the realtionship in the eucation scetor, said Australia’s educational ties with India are one of the bedrocks of our bilateral relationship.

“The launch of the Maitri scholarships is a key outcome of today’s meeting of the Australia India Education and Skills Council which was hosted by my Indian counterpart the Hon Dharmendra Pradhan in Gandhinagar,” Mr Clare said.

“The program will strengthen our education partnership with India by giving some of its brightest young researchers the opportunity to study at our world-class universities.”

Grant applications close for Australian universities on 1 January 2024.

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