Vietnam agreement supports more postgraduate training at UQ

A further $10 million is to be invested in the postgraduate education of Vietnamese students following an extension of The University of Queensland’s masters coursework and doctoral development scholarship programs funded through a donor organisation.

The scheme, which began in 2000, offers scholarships to Vietnamese nationals to pursue coursework masters study of up to two years or scholarships for doctoral development support at The University of Queensland.

Scholarship holders also receive English language training both within Vietnam and in Brisbane, through the University’s Institute of Continuing and TESOL Education, and living and travel stipend for the duration of their studies in Vietnam and Australia.

UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Development) Professor Trevor Grigg said the additional funding will be used to provide a further 90 masters coursework scholarships and 36 doctoral development scholarships over a two year period from 2003.

The masters coursework scholarship program will support graduates from selected universities in the northern, central and southern regions of Vietnam. The doctoral development scholarships will support selected academic staff from three leading universities in Vietnam, namely, Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam National University – Hanoi and the University of Danang.

“To date, 45 students have received masters coursework scholarships and 10 academic staff have been supported in their doctoral studies. In 2002, another 43 coursework masters students and 12 academic staff will begin their study at UQ,” Professor Grigg said.

The scholarship programs are part of a range of programs that The University of Queensland is involved in aimed at contributing, through education and training, to the sustainable development of Vietnam.
Professor Grigg said the latest $10 million donation includes funds to support an evaluation of the longer-term benefits flowing from the program through monitoring the post-graduation careers and experiences of the program participants.

For more information, contact Professor Trevor Grigg, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Development) (telephone 07 3315 7366, email: t.grigg@uq.edu.au) or Peter McCutcheon at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 1088, mobile 0413 380 012).