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Thirteen scholarships for 2013 have been awarded to students at The University of Western Australia under a global education partnership program with Rio Tinto.

Rio Tinto invested in a five-year partnership with UWA last year as part of a program to establish a global network of leading education providers to generate an expertise base for the resource industry.

UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Johnson said a large number of applications were received for Rio Tinto Residential Indigenous Scholarships and Rio Tinto Scholarships in Geology and/or Engineering Science.

"We are developing a talent pipeline that is aligned with UWA's corporate goal to increase diversity by providing opportunities for women and Indigenous students through scholarships and programs such as Girls in Engineering," Professor Johnson said.

"Partnering with industry is an important way in which our world class knowledge can make a positive difference to people's lives.  We are proud to call Rio Tinto a trusted partner and collaborator."

Over the next four years another 30 scholarships will be awarded to undergraduates, as well as the Rio Tinto Masterclass Program, regular In The Zone Boardroom lunches and some significant initiatives to improve safety.

Rio Tinto's Pilbara Iron Ore Operations President Greg Lilleyman said UWA put forward a number of initiatives that complemented the company's corporate strategy and vision for the future.

"At Rio Tinto we're fortunate to see, first-hand, the great outcomes that result when industry and education providers work together," Mr Lilleyman said.  "We always seek to partner with educational institutions that can assist in delivering agenda-setting programs and that foster thought leadership."

UWA's partnerships with global corporations support the university's objective to take education and research to a new level and ensure that Western Australia is recognised as an international hub of excellence related to the resources sector.

The Chief Scientist of Australia Professor Ian Chubb will launch the first masterclass tomorrow (Wednesday 15 May) at the University Club at 6pm.  The free lecture will examine the importance of science to Australia's future and its place in the world.  Unfortunately the lecture is booked out.

Pic caption: UWA recipients of the 2013 Rio Tinto Scholarships celebrate their success with Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Johnson and Rio Tinto's Pilbara Iron Ore Operations President Greg Lilleyman

Media references

Gervase Greene (Rio Tinto Media)  (+61 8)  9327 2975  /  (+61 4) 08 098 572
Nicola Holman (EMI Communications)  (+61 8)  6488 7586  /  (+61 4) 19 716 311
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716