Leadership development key to Westpac postgraduate scholarship

Westpac is calling on innovators across the country to apply for the Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship, a unique postgraduate scholarship program supporting outstanding individuals who have a vision to help shape Australia’s future through their work and studies. 

 

7 scholarships, valued at up to $120,000 each are available at nine universities across Australia. 

 

One of the Scholarship’s biggest drawcards is a nine-month bespoke Leadership Development Program and the opportunity to spend up to six months abroad to gain global experience.

 

Michael Hall studied a Masters in Bioinformatics at the University of Queensland with the support of a Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship in 2016. He is now seven months into a PhD in the same field at the University of Cambridge in the UK.

 

“The Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship has been so pivotal in me being where I am now. A large portion of the self-belief I have developed over the last two years has come from the Scholarship’s Leadership Development Program. I never would have dreamed I would end up doing my PhD at the University of Cambridge, but here I am.”

 

In addition to up to $120,000 in financial support, successful recipients gain lifelong membership to the Westpac100 Scholars Network. Each year the Network grows by 100 Scholars from each of the five scholarships that form part of the broader Westpac Scholarship Program.

 

For Westpac Scholar Alex Schumann-Gillett, three years into her PhD in computational chemistry at the Australian National University, it’s this network that is most valuable.

 

“Since 2016, the Westpac Scholars community has grown to over 300 people. That is over 300 people who are actively working to create a better Australia. With the promise of 100 new scholars each year, forever, I can only imagine the things that people will create, and the better Australia they will shape.”

 

“Westpac Scholars care about their cause, and their passion drives them to do something about it. That passion; that selflessness; that motivation—it is the essence of a Westpac Scholar,” Alex said.

 

Susan Bannigan, CEO, Westpac Bicentennial Foundation, says, “The Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship supports the next generation of game changers. We’re looking for individuals who are able to demonstrate both academic excellence and generosity of spirit. They are highly aspirational, passionate people committed to creating meaningful change through their studies.”

 

Go to the Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship webpage to find out more. 

 

_{Published 15 May 2018}