Endeavour Executive Scholarship Awards

Brief description:

The Endeavour Executive Awards provide professional development opportunities (1-4 months) for high achievers in business, industry, education or government from participating countries, including Australia.

The Awards focus on building skills and knowledge through a host work environment rather than through formal enrollment in a study program at a host institution and are not intended to fund direct academic research.

Professional development activities could include management training, peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, short courses and developing leadership skills.

The Endeavour Executive Awards aim to:

• enable high achieving professionals to further develop their skills and knowledge

• deepen professional engagements between Australia and participating countries

• strengthen mutual understanding between the people of Australia and Award Holders’ host countries

• build linkages and networks between Australia and participating countries

• allow professionals the opportunity, on returning to their home country, to share their updated skills and knowledge with colleagues.

Host Institution(s):

Applicants must be nominated by either their home organization or host organization.  A home or host organization may nominate up to 5 applicants. It is the responsibility of the applicant to research and find an appropriate host organization and develop their proposed professional development program. DEEWR cannot provide advice on host organizations for the Endeavour Executive Awards.

Number of Awards:

Not specified.

Target group:

High Achieving  Professionals from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong and Macau SARs), Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, French Polynesia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea (South), Republic of Palau, Qatar, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, and Yemen.

Scholarship value/inclusions:

Total Award Value – Up to $AUD20,000

Travel Allowance – $AUD5,000

Establishment Allowance – $AUD5,000

Monthly Stipend (1 to 4 months on a pro-rata basis) -$AUD2,500 per month.

Health and travel insurance will be provided. Additional funds are not available to support accompanying dependents or for return visits to the home country.

Eligibility:

1. International applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of a participating country and reside in a participating country.

2. International Applicants who wish to apply for the 2010 round must not be living, studying or working in Australia in 2009.

3. Australian applicants must be residing in Australia. Applicants must not be studying, living or working in the proposed host country in 2009.

4. Applicants holding dual citizenship or permanent residency status in their host country are ineligible to apply.

5. Applicants (both international and Australian) must have an undergraduate degree and at least 5 years professional work experience. Applicants not holding an undergraduate degree will need to demonstrate at least 10 years relevant professional work experience.

6. Applicants must be nominated by either their home organization or the host organization.

7. Applicants must have in writing confirmation of acceptance or affiliation with the host organization(s).

8. Applicants (both international and Australian) must demonstrate English language proficiency in one of the following ways:

a. Have undertaken one of the following English language tests, no earlier than 31 December 2007, and obtained the minimum English language requirements set out below:

IELTS-Academic Test – Overall score of 6.5 with no individual band less than 6.0

TOEFL-Paper Based Test (PBT) -Score of 580 including a TWE (Test of Written English) score of 4.5

TOEFL-Computer Based Test (CBT) -Score of 230 including an Essay Rating score of 4.5

TOEFL-Internet Based Test (IBT) – Overall score of 90 with a minimum score of 22 in the writing section and no less than 20 in the other sections

Or

b. Provide Academic Transcripts or Certificates if they have completed at least one year of university study conducted in English in the last five years in one of the following listed countries:

American Samoa, Australia, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), United States of America or Zambia.

Or

c. Provide written confirmation from their home organization (Australian applicants) or their host organization (international applicants) that the applicant’s English language ability is suitable for the proposed professional development activity

9. Three referee reports must be submitted on the form provided on the Endeavour Online system. One referee report must be from a supervisor, lecturer or course convenor who is familiar with the applicant’s recent academic performance (see Section 11 below).

10. Applicants must spend a minimum of 1 month and a maximum of 4 months at their host organization. The professional development activity must be taken in one block; it cannot be broken into two or more visits to the host country.

11. Award Holders must commence their approved program and Award between 15 January and 30 November 2011 (main round) and 1 July and 30 November 2011 (second round). Applicants who have commenced or intend to commence their program at their host organization in 2010 are ineligible for an Award.

12. Applicants who completed an Endeavour Award and/or AusAID scholarship in the two calendar years before the current round of the Endeavour Awards are not eligible to apply.

Application instructions:

Applications for the main round of the 2011 Endeavour Awards open on Monday 5 April 2010 and will close at 11:59PM Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) on Sunday 31 July 2010. Applications for the 2011 second round open on 1 December 2010 and will close on 31 January 2011.  Applicants must apply online via this link.

It is important to visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Contact information:

For questions, see the FAQs.  For inquiries, use the Endeavour Awards Enquiry Form.

Website:

Official Scholarship Website:  http://www.endeavour.deewr.gov.au/international_applicants/executive_awards.htm

2011 Endeavor Awards Application Guidelines (PDF)