First New Colombo Plan students arrive in PNG

The first Australian students to travel to Papua New Guinea under the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan arrived in Kokoda this week.

The students from the Federation University will undertake a four week professional teaching practicum in Oro Province, working alongside local teachers in the Kokoda Elementary School and the Kokoda Skills Training Centre.

Twelve students from Federation University Australia have been funded – seven arrived this week and the other five students will arrive in Papua New Guinea to do their practicums in mid-2016.

Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Ms Deborah Stokes, said the New Colombo Plan is focused on building people-to-people links and regional engagement that will last a lifetime.

“The links between people, universities and businesses forged through the New Colombo Plan will support even closer engagement between Australia and the countries of this region into the future,” Ms Stokes said.

“I would like to thank the Papua New Guinea Government for their participation in the New Colombo Plan and PNG’s Department of Education for the assistance they have provided to the group in organising their placements.

“I would also like to thank representatives from Oro Province for hosting our young Australians. I could not think of a better place in PNG to commence the New Colombo Plan. Your time in Kokoda will build on the existing strong links we have through the Kokoda Initiative and the several thousands of trekkers who walk the Kokoda Track each year.”

The students are among more than 3,000 young Australians from 37 universities who will live, study and work in the Indo-Pacific region during the second year of the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan.

The New Colombo Plan involves a scholarships program for study of up to one year and internships or mentorships, and a flexible grants program for both short and longer-term study, internships, mentorships, practicums and research. The Australian Government has committed $100 million over five years to the New Colombo Plan.