| (24 June, 2004 – Canberra,
Australia) – A signing ceremony was held today at Parliament
House to seal an agreement for the Endeavour Australia Cheung
Kong Scholarship Programme which will usher in an additional
140 opportunities every year for a period of three years for
undergraduate as well as postgraduate students in Australia
and Asia to participate in exchange programmes between Australia
and Asia.
Marks First Public/ Private Partnership for Education
Funding
This is the first matching fund scholarship programme in Australia
which features contribution from a company in the private
sector and new funds from the Australian Government. It marks
the first public/private partnership for education funding
in the country.
The Hon Dr Brendan Nelson MP, Minister of Education, representing
the Australian Government, and Mr H L Kam, Deputy Managing
Director of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited, representing the
Hong Kong based Cheung Kong Group signed an agreement pledging
mutual support for the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Scholarship
Programme through the provision of matching funds that total
A$4.5 million over three years. The Hon Alexander Downer MP,
Foreign Minister, also attended the ceremony.
Additional 140 Students Get Chance for Exchange Programme
Every Year
The Programme will offer educational exchange opportunities
to 100 undergraduate and 40 postgraduate students a year.
Half of the scholarships will be designated for Australian
students going to Asia and half for Asian students coming
to Australia. The Programme is poised to effectively amplify
the opportunities for educational and cultural exchange between
Australia and Asia. By design, two thirds of the scholarships
will be earmarked for students going to or coming from Hong
Kong and Mainland China, and congratulatory messages were
delivered by Mr. Zhou Ji, the Chinese Minister for Education,
and Mr. Arthur KC Li, Secretary for Education and Manpower
of the Hong Kong SAR Government, at the signing ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Kam said: "We are very
honoured to have the opportunity to participate in creating
such a meaningful scholarship programme that has long term
benefits for Australia and Asia. Through such exchange between
young Asians and Australians comes understanding and appreciation,
which is vital for the future development of the Asia Pacific
region."
"As a multi-national corporation with a presence in
42 countries including Australia, we appreciate the importance
of international perspective. We are an avid supporter of
programmes that foster cultural and educational exchange and
understanding, and we see great value in the Endeavour Australia
Cheung Kong Scholarship Programme. It poses a great channel
for nurturing exchange between Australia and Asia, and we
are delighted to contribute towards the design, funding and
establishment of the Programme," continued Mr Kam.
"In Chinese, there is an old proverb that says 'Learning
has no boundaries'. Knowledge and understanding are beyond
national and geographical boundaries, and the Endeavour Australia
Cheung Kong Scholarship Programme seeks to reflect this in
a practical way. I feel very strongly that a chance to see
and learn about the world at large benefits both the character
and career development of the individual, particularly if
young people can have this opportunity while they are still
studying. The Programme is intended to provide more opportunities
for students in Australia and Asia to gain cross cultural
experience," Mr Kam expressed.
"In my frequent trips to Australia, I have noticed that
there is increasing interest in Asia among Australian students,
and likewise a growing number of Asian students yearn for
the opportunity to see and experience Australia for themselves.
The Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Scholarship Programme
serves well in meeting this demand and offers an accessible
and timely platform for enhancing educational exchange,"
Mr Kam remarked.
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