Latest News - January 2009

The Peace Scholarship Program will be welcoming its final group of students in Semester 1, 2009 (February - July 2009). Following this, the decision has been made that the Peace Scholarship Program will no longer be in operation.

 

Below is a letter sent to all alumni and sponsors in December 2008 regarding this decision.

 

A small number of scholarships will still be offered in July 2009 to students from Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Afghanistan.

 

Closure Letter

16th December 2008

 

Dear,

 

I would like to firstly take this opportunity to thank you for your past financial support of the Peace Scholarship Program.  

 

We may not have said thank you enough – the difference your support has made has meant that we have been able to provide opportunities for more than 300 students, from thirteen countries to study in Australia since 2004. So thank you once more.

 

I have recently taken on the role of Chairman of the Board of the Peace Scholarship Program when Professor Deane Terrell’s tenure came to an end in August this year.  Today, I am writing to you to advise you of recent developments concerning IDP Education Australia Ltd, the company under which the Peace Scholarship Program falls.

 

IDP Education Australia Ltd (‘IDP Old Co’) owns 50% of the shares of IDP Education Pty Ltd (‘IDP New Co’), with the other 50% owned by Seek Ltd. 

 

At the Annual General Meeting of IDP Old Co held in November 2008, the shareholders agreed to transform the company from a non-profit organisation to a for-profit company. This structure better reflects the present objects of the company. Shareholders also agreed that as a result of this transformation, IDP Old Co will no longer retain the funds necessary to support its various scholarship programs. The Universities, which are the members of IDP Old Co, will continue to expand their extensive range of scholarship programs.  These changes include the Peace Scholarship Program.

 

As support from IDP Old Co will no longer be possible, the Board has concluded that the Peace Scholarship program should cease operations in 2009. The Peace Scholarship Program was created in the aftermath of “9/11” and has served a valuable role in building international understanding. International support programs are now a key element of the internationalization programs of all of Australia’s Universities and the developments of the Peace Scholarship Program have now become mainstream in most Australian Universities. This will be one of the lasting achievements of the program. It also means that the activities initiated by the program will continue in different forms.

 

The Board were keen that all our stakeholders be informed of this decision as early as possible.  If one of our current partners were to step forward and take on the role of financially underwriting the program, the Board would reconsider this decision. However, a new partner would need to be found before the end of January 2009.   Please, feel free to contact me if you feel you can help.

 

Semester 1, 2009 will be the final intake of Peace Scholarship recipients. Some students will still arrive in Semester 2, 2009 as commitments to sponsors still exist. We will be in touch with you individually regarding arrangements for your confirmed support for the Program in 2009.

 

In the meantime, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Eleanor Rivers, Manager of the Peace Scholarship Program at eleanor.rivers@idp.com or (02) 8251270.

 

Once again thank you for your invaluable support. Over the past five years, we have changed the lives and futures of many students from around the world.   We have even helped to change the lives of their families and communities.   It is something that should make every single person who has been involved in this Program proud.  

 

Australian international education continues to make a major impact on the lives of people around the world and the objectives of the Peace Scholarship program will live on within the scholarship programs of our Universities.

 

Thank you again for all that you have done.

 

Yours sincerely,


Professor Ian Young

Chair
Education Australia (International Enterprises)
Trustee of the Peace Scholarship Trust and the Peace Scholarship Program Trust
The Peace Scholarship Program is an initiative of IDP Education Australia Limited (ACN: 008 597 831). A wholly owned subsidiary company of IDP Education Australia Limited, Education Australia (International Enterprises) Pty Ltd (ACN:089 228 053) is the trustee of both Trusts facilitating the Peace Scholarship Program – the Peace Scholarship Trust and the Peace Scholarship Program Trust. The composition of the Board of Directors of the Trustee Company complies with relevant government legislation and regulations. The Peace Scholarship Trust has the necessary Fundraiser and/or charitable collection registration where required under Australian state or territory legislation. The Australian Taxation Office has endorsed ‘The Trustee for the Peace Scholarship Trust’ (ABN: 85 931 859 523) as a Deductible Gift Recipient.