On the occasion of the first visit to Australia by His Excellency Mr Recep Tayyip Erdo#287;an, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, I am pleased to announce the inaugural 10 higher education study awards for Turkey. The awards are part of the Australian Government's $25 million Endeavour Programme, an initiative under which high achieving students and scholars from around the world can undertake study or research in Australia and Australian scholars can undertake research overseas.
With Prime Minister Erdogan, I had the great pleasure of congratulating several recipients today. These awards symbolise the strengthening of people to people links between Turkey and Australia and the mutual significance of the Gallipoli experience to our national identities and histories.
The Prime Minister and I agreed in April this year that at least two of the annual awards should focus on the shared experience of the Gallipoli campaign of 1915. In the event, three of the recipients announced today will be pursuing the Gallipoli related research. The other fields of endeavour include biological sciences, political science, medical studies, chemical sciences, business and management, civil engineering, architecture and building studies, and human society. This diversity of interests is emblematic of the growing diversity of our bilateral relationship.
Five of the 2006 Endeavour Turkey awards will go to students and researchers from Turkey to undertake postgraduate study or research in Australia and five will be awarded to Australians to travel to and study in Turkey. The recipients of the Endeavour Postgraduate Awards will receive funding of up to A$50,000 for the first year of a higher degree or for research towards a higher degree in their home country. The recipients of the Endeavour Research Fellowships will receive up to A$25,000 to undertake research in the other nation.
The full list of awards is as follows:
From Turkey From Australia
Mr Grol Baba (Political Science) Mr Ahmed Ali (Biological Sciences) Mr Murat Barsbay (Chemical Sciences) Mr Fahri Benli (Business and Management) Dr Ibrahim Bora (Medical Studies) Mrs Jennifer Lawless (Human Society) Miss €iler Tosun (Architecture and Building) Mr Sam Williams (Human Society) Dr Koray Velibeyoglu (Civil Engineering)
8 December 2005 Mr Andrew Yip (Human Society)