India popular among Australians for short-term courses

India has become the third most popular destination for young Australians with a total of 569 students opting to undertake short-term study projects in various disciplines in the country.

Selected under Australia’s New Colombo Plan, these students will arrive in India to take up their courses in 2016.

“These students are drawn from 24 Australian universities and engaged in a diverse range of sectors including law and justice, sports, community development, engineering, education, science. India is the third most popular destination for NCP students with 569 students across 42 projects coming to India in 2016 after China and Indonesia,” Stephen Dziedzic, public diplomacy manager at Australian High Commission, said on Friday.

Indian projects received the fourth largest amount of funding $1,747,650, he added. The New Colombo Plan is a flagship Australian government scheme which aims to increase Asia literacy in Australia. It provides funding to young Australians for study of up to one year and internships in 38 host locations in the Indo-Pacific region.

“New Colombo Plan students will return home with new insights and understanding about the region that will help them contribute to the economic and cultural life of Australia,” a statement released by Australian High Commission quoted the country’s Education and Training Minister Christopher Pyne as saying.Close to 350 Australian undergraduates came to undertake various short term study programmes in India last year.

The Australian government has expanded the scholarship programme to offer more opportunities to more students to study in the region in 2016, following the success of the schemes 2014 pilot phase and the 2015 round.