Universities worldwide were hit hard when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented students from studying internationally.
And although the financial ramifications were highly publicised, the absence of international students also left a gap in cultural exchange.
When they graduate, students might return to their home countries with knowledge, skills and an internationally recognised qualification — and for some, an opportunity make a positive difference to the lives of others.
But, they also leave a valuable and ever-growing imprint on our university that broadens our understanding and perspective.
Bhutanese students, for example, come to Murdoch from a country that measures Gross National Happiness and has received international acclaim for its commitment to preserving biodiversity.
Earlier this year on his first visit to Perth, the Kingdom of Bhutan’s inaugural Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Sonam Tobgay toured Murdoch and met with key members of staff to discuss opportunities for students from his home country.
Scholarship offers bright future for Bhutanese students
Last month a new Murdoch scholarship named in honour of Her Majesty the Queen Mother of Bhutan, Tseyring Pem Wangchuck was made official at a special ceremony in Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu, with the Queen Mother and her daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck, in attendance.
In collaboration with the Bhutan Youth Development Fund, of which the Queen Mother is president, the scholarship will see Murdoch cover 50 per cent of the fee for the entire undergraduate degree, with one recipient heading to Perth each semester until the end of 2024.
At the event, their Royal Highnesses met with scholars and entrepreneurs, and Murdoch International’s in-country representative Koonden Wangda who said he was eager to see what the future holds as the relationship between the BYDF and Murdoch grows.
Executive Director of BYDF, Madam Dorji Ohm, said the scholarship marked the beginning of a friendship that embodies a strong partnership of goodwill and trust between the two institutes.
“Murdoch University is known for their leading academics, world changing research, excellent facilities and wide range of courses,” she said.
“It will be a dream come true for the scholars who will avail this scholarship and for their parents, especially for those who believe in their children’s potential but lack the financial resources to fulfil their aspirations.
“[This is] indeed a wonderful opportunity for our Bhutanese students to gain exposure and experience a multicultural setting where creative powers are discovered and innovation unleashed. Bhutan Youth Development Foundation Executive Director, Madam Dorji Ohm
“Bhutan Youth Development Fund is deeply honoured to be the recipient of this scholarship and acknowledge this partnership as a symbolic journey that will mark milestones in the creation of Bhutanese students who are sensitive to current needs and prepared to face their tomorrow with confidence, a wonderfully apt alignment with BYDF’s vision of ‘A better today, a brighter tomorrow for the youth of Bhutan’.”
Murdoch International’s regional manager for Bhutan, Conor Murphy, said the university was thrilled to be a friend of Bhutan by supporting its community through education, and excited to welcome the first scholarship recipient to Perth in coming months.
“Murdoch University has a deep engagement with Bhutan, and a very significant cohort of Bhutanese students have called Murdoch home in recent years,” he said.
“This endeavour reflects Murdoch University’s values of equity and social justice, opportunity, sustainability, and global responsibility, and it will help equip students with skills to become leaders in their communities and to contribute to sustainable and equitable economic development in Bhutan.
“It is also a wonderful learning opportunity for the Murdoch community because these students will bring diversity of culture, thought and purpose to our university, which is truly invaluable.”
