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Three scholarship winners are among 25 students from The University of Western Australia who have secured a "potentially life-changing opportunity" to study overseas at the prestigious University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The students will undertake a six-week UCLA study program offered through the new UWA-based Perth USAsia Centre, which was launched by former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at UWA last November and includes $3 million in WA Government funding.

WA Premier Colin Barnett today helped present the inaugural WA scholarships to UWA students Philip Gaisford (UWA Business School), Jelena Durmic (Arts) and Yee Mei Chan (Science).  He was assisted by Professor Bates Gill, CEO of the Perth Centre's sister institution, the United States Studies Centre (USSC) at The University of Sydney.

The US Consul General in Perth, Ms Aleisha Woodward, also attended the event.

Mr Barnett congratulated the students and said higher education was essential to WA's prosperity.  "While WA is known for its wealth of natural resources, I want WA to be even richer in its human resources," he said.  "By investing in our leaders of tomorrow, we are investing in our state's future."

UWA Vice-Chancellor Paul Johnson said about 500 UWA students a year took part in exchange programs with 130 partner universities as part of the University's goal of enabling as many students as possible to have an overseas experience.

"This is one of those opportunities that Vice-Chancellors love - to be able to provide students with potentially life-changing opportunities," he said.  "It also reinforces UWA's commitment to internationalisation."

Professor Gill, who is also on the board of the Perth USAsia Centre, said students were at the heart of everything the USSC did and he was very pleased the Perth USAsia Centre's first steps involved students.

"This UCLA program provides a very special opportunity for UWA students," he said.  "We plan to offer more in the future, including study abroad and internship programs in Washington DC and New York City."

The Perth USAsia Centre was established last year as an independent policy think tank to focus on links between WA, Asia and the US, and examine economic and geopolitical issues.  It is also a teaching and research centre, and aims to foster a deeper Australian understanding of US business, culture, history, politics and foreign policy.

UWA is only the second Australian university to gain access to the UCLA Study Abroad Program after it was launched by the USSC last year.

The 25 UWA students will live on the UCLA campus and experience the full richness of college life at a leading American university that is ranked 12 ^th in the world according to Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Academic Ranking of World Universities.

UCLA Study Abroad Program Scholarship winners:

Philip Gaisford (Trinity College) is completing a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in finance and engineering science at UWA.  Philip was born and raised in Zimbabwe, before moving to Perth to complete his tertiary education.  Philip completed a gap year in London working at Harrow School and says while he has now lived on three continents, it has always been his dream to go to America.  Philip would like to one day own an engineering firm in Zimbabwe.  He believes that through clever engineering and a sound knowledge of business that he can make a significant change to the infrastructure and economy of this developing country.

Jelena Durmic (Kingsley) is completing a combined Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws majoring in Italian at UWA. Jelena has achieved outstanding academic and extra-curricular success, competing on a national level in basketball and representing UWA at the Australian University Games.  She has received a UWA Excellence Award, Caltex All Rounder Award and a JENESYS scholarship (cultural exchange program and travel grant funded by the Japanese government).  Jelena also speaks Japanese, Serbian, Croatian and Italian.

Yee Mei Chan (Lathlain) is completing a Bachelor of Science majoring in biomedical science at UWA.  Yee Mei is an international student from Malaysia and moved to Perth to pursue her tertiary studies.  Yee Mei has been very active with extra-curricular activities, particularly in high school, serving as the President of the Chinese Orchestra Club, Tai Chi Club and in the Life-Saving Society.  Yee Mei would like to use her study in biomedical science to pursue a career as a research scientist with a particular focus on genetic diseases.

Media references

Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783