King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has announced its New Colombo Plan (NCP) Scholar for 2019 at an awards ceremony at Parliament House on Monday evening (26 November). An initiative of DFAT, recipients of the scholarship are given the opportunity to study and work in one of 40 participating Indo-Pacific countries, with the aim of enhancing Australia's relationships in the region at an individual, institutional and business level.
Sponsored by KWM, law student and member of the Royal Australian Navy, Jessica Kelly, will undertake a semester of study at Hong Kong University, Mandarin language training and an internship at KWM's Hong Kong office. Prior to the commencement of the NCP scholarship Jessica will first complete a summer clerkship with KWM in Sydney.
Current KWM employee, Timothy Walshe, was also awarded a scholarship and will be travelling to both Hong Kong and Fiji next year to pursue study in the creative arts space.
The awards ceremony was attended by Governor General and Lady Cosgrove, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marise Payne, who named the undergraduate students selected for the program. Since 2014 the New Colombo Plan has awarded hundreds of scholarships, with 2019 set to see 125 fully-sponsored students travel to the neighbouring region.
Commenting on the benefits of the program, KWM China consultant and NCP Business Champion David Olsson said the scholarships are instrumental in equipping future leaders with a broader understanding of our neighbours and trading partners.
"This level of knowledge can only serve to have a positive impact on the next generation of business leaders by creating a diverse network of Australians who are both regionally capable and aware.
"The New Colombo Plan is striving to ensure that bi-lateral relations in the Indo-Pacific develop and prosper, and that as a result Australian businesses can reap the rewards of healthy partnerships in the region," he continued.
"We are delighted to sponsor Jessica as the recipient of a New Colombo Plan scholarship in 2019. The experience she will gain from living and working with another culture in the region will be invaluable to her career, and we are proud to have her represent both KWM and Australia throughout her time in Hong Kong." said KWM Australia's Chief Executive Partner, Berkeley Cox.
King & Wood Mallesons has hosted New Colombo Plan scholars since the program's inauguration in 2014. For more information on KWM's involvement in the program please visit https://careers.kwm.com/en/graduates-australia.
