A scholarship would be Allwright

Applications are now open for ACIAR's John Allwright Fellowships, part of the Australia Awards program.

The Australian Government's Australia Awards program offers the next generation of global leaders from Australia and overseas high-quality education and professional development experiences that enable them to contribute to the development of their countries.

Norah Omot, former John Allwright Fellow, now a Director of Enabling Environments for NARI (PNG). Nora is pictured with team members workshopping ideas on marketing, social economics, impact assessments, and work monitoring.
(photograph by Paul Jones)

ACIAR's John Allwright Fellowship recipients are scientists from developing country partners actively involved in a collaborative research project supported by ACIAR.

Norah Omot (Photograph by Rohani Moore)

 Dr Norah Omot was sponsored by ACIAR through a John Allwright Fellowship, identified weaknesses in the process of bringing the vegetables from production to market in Papua New-Guinea (PNG).

“In particular, I looked at what consumers want and whether suppliers are meeting their needs,” Dr Omot said of her thesis; ‘Long distance marketing sweet-potato from the highlands of Papua New Guinea: an analysis of consumer preferences and supplier responsiveness’.

Dr Omot is now running the PNG National Agricultural Research Institute program, ‘Enabling environment’, which is identifying the socio-economic barriers to sustainable agricultural development in PNG.

She said that receiving her PhD was a “great relief”. While she said this immediately after her graduation, the benefits are enduring.

Dr Norah Omot with University of Canberra PhD
supervisor Professor John Spriggs at graduation.
 (Photograph by Caroline Lemerle)

A survey report - the Impact of the John Allwright Fellowship Scheme - stated that "Almost all (92%) former Fellows regarded their ACIAR fellowship as totally or strongly related to their current employment. Almost all former Fellows (98%) and Directors (96%) agreed that they were now passing on skills and knowledge gained from their fellowship to other staff".

People interested in applying or nominating partner country project staff for a Fellowship should refer to the John Allwright eligibility criteria and application form.

Applications for John Allwright Fellowships close 31 July 2013.

More information: ACIAR John Allwright Fellowships


(Posted by Alexandra Bagnara, ACIAR Communications)