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Many of the State's top students were presented with scholarships to study at the University of Western Australia during a ceremony at Winthrop Hall last night.

The annual UWA Fogarty Foundation Awards and Scholarships and Vice-Chancellor's Awards of Distinction include more than 150 awards, made to students from a wide range of schools across the State.

The 2008 Beazley Medallist, Hale School student Binu Jayawardena, was also one of the eight winners of the Fogarty Foundation City and Regional Scholarships.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson said the awards and scholarships recognised those who had gone one step further in the quest for excellence, and the families that had supported them. He praised Brett and Annie Fogarty for their generosity in establishing the UWA Fogarty Foundation City and Regional Scholarships.

"The scholarships are an investment in the future for our students, and for our community," Professor Robson said.

"Our University could not have become the powerhouse of knowledge that it is today without the involvement of far-sighted individuals, such as Brett and Annie Fogarty. Thanks to them, our winners of the Fogarty Foundation Scholarships now have the opportunity to study at one of the finest universities in Australia."

Six new scholarships were also presented - the UWA Fogarty Foundation Teaching and Excellence Scholarships - which aim to encourage commencing students who have shown significant academic potential to undertake a combined course leading to a Bachelor of Education.

Also awarded were five Vice-Chancellor's Awards of Distinction, for students who have excelled academically and across a range of activities including leadership, public speaking, sport, music and service to others.

The centrepiece of the scholarship program is the UWA Excellence Awards, providing guaranteed entry to the University for the best and brightest UWA-bound student from each of the State's senior secondary schools.

The University awarded four ‘Group of Eight' Scholarships, offered by a coalition of Australia's leading research universities including UWA, which aim to provide greater opportunity for leading students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

Eighteen Diversity and Merit Awards provided financial support for academically excellent students from diverse social and economic backgrounds.

Media references

Sally Ann Jones (UWA Public Affairs) (+61 8) 6488 7975 / (+61 4) 20 790 098