The Australian Development Scholarship (ADS) program in Vietnam provides up to 150 postgraduate scholarships each year. The program aims to strengthen human resource capacity by focussing on priority areas of study including governance, agriculture and rural development, and other emerging priorities such as health, climate change and transnational crime. It also targets key public institutions in Vietnam to support the development of a ‘critical mass’ of highly trained graduates who will provide potential leadership for future reform in the public sector.
SKM has been contracted by AusAID to provide administrative and human resource development support at key points of the Vietnam ADS cycle, including promotion, selection, placement and post return. SKM also is responsible for liaising with counterpart government agencies, training provides and other stakeholders.
In 2006, AusAID launched the Australian Leadership Award – Scholarships (ALAS) program. This regional scholarships program aims to develop leadership, build partnerships and linkages within the Asia-Pacific, and address priority regional issues. Vietnamese applicants have been successful in securing a number of ALAS over the last three years to undertake postgraduate study in Australia across a range of fields including international trade, pandemics, security and climate change. SKM also provides key inputs to support ALAS activities.