West African Award recipients prepare for 2016 Masters studies in Australia

The 2016 intake of the Masters Awards Scholarship recipients from Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria took part in a pre-departure briefing in Accra, Ghana, on 17 and 18 September 2015.

The Liberian Minister of Education, George Kronnisanyon Werner, encouraged the Scholarship recipients to “take the opportunity with both hands” as the Awards are benefitting Africa, recalling how impressed he was with the Australia Awards Alumni that helped Liberia during the Ebola outbreak.

Justine Townsend, Australian High Commission Second Secretary and Consul, also encouraged recipients to join the Australia Alumni Association in their home countries to maintain links and relationships with other Alumni and to keep updated about networking and professional development opportunities.

At a reception following the briefings, the Australian High Commissioner in Accra, HE Joanna Adamson, urged all Scholarship recipients to contribute to development in their home countries when they return by applying the new skills and knowledge they had gained through the Awards, as developing human resources and leadership capacities that will translate into development to the benefit of communities within their countries is the core reason for the Scholarship program.