Dhaka, Sept 18 (UNB) - A total of 70 Bangladeshi students have been selected for Australia Awards Scholarships for 2019, said the Australian High Commission to Bangladesh on Tuesday.   This year more than 600 Bangladeshis applied for the scholarships.   The selected awardees will commence their master’s level studies in Australian universities in February 2019.   The awardees will undertake degrees at several top Aussie universities in a range of fields including public finance, cyber security, environment, engineering, international trade and development.   Australian High Commissioner Julia Niblett said, “We were very impressed with the high standard of applicants; with respect to both their commitment to their studies and aspirations to continue to drive economic development in Bangladesh on their return.”   "We are pleased that 50 per cent of the awardees are female and 10 per cent of successful applicants in the 2019 intake are from indigenous communities,” she added.   Australia Awards are prestigious international scholarships funded by the Australian Government.    They offer an opportunity for the next generation of global leaders to undertake study, research and professional development in Australia. 

Australia has been offering scholarships in the region for almost 70 years and, specifically, to Bangladesh, since 1972.