RIYADH, 18 May 2006 — Australia yesterday announced new scholarships for Saudi students under its Australian Scholarships and Endeavor Program (ASEP). This will be the first scholarship program for Saudis to study in Australia.

Australian Ambassador Ian Biggs said that his government is committed to providing opportunities for high-quality scholars, researchers and professionals from the Middle East to participate in the scholarship program.

“It also aims to create and enhance people-to-people and institution-to-institution linkages and networks between Australia and the Kingdom,” he said at the press conference held at the Australian Embassy yesterday.

Biggs said Julie Bishop, Australian minister of education, science and training, launched this initiative to increase regional educational links with the countries in the Middle East.

“My government hopes this initiative will strengthen its education relationships internationally allowing students and researchers to form enduring personal and institutional linkages,” Biggs said.

The ASEP will provide 1.4 billion Australian dollars over five years for 19,000 scholarships that will be allocated on merit to students from throughout the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, the Subcontinent and Europe.

Around 1,000 Saudi students are currently studying in various Australian educational institutions.

“Australia and Saudi Arabia share strong educational ties, hence we want more Saudi youth to come to our country to exchange experience in the field of education,” the envoy said.

The next application deadline is July 31. Online applications are available at http://www.endeavour.dest.gov.au/for_middle_east_applicants/.