From the Vice-Chancellor: Give the gift of knowledge

Vice-Chancellor

One of the greatest gifts anyone can give our students is a scholarship.

Scholarships are vital in supporting our students, giving them the best possible chance of gaining a quality educational experience.

Ask any student who has received a scholarship what benefits they get from it, and they'll tend to say the same things: studying at university can be a financial burden; my scholarship helps to take the financial pressure off; it means I don't need to get a job to support me while I study; it means I can focus on my education.

Scholarships change lives. They can change them in big ways - such as through major scholarships like the Rhodes, Fulbright, Menzies and Monash schemes, which lead to unique study opportunities - or they can change them in other ways, such as paying enough to cover tuition or important study costs.

Many scholarship winners go on to become leaders of the community, industry, politics and academia. Such students are talented and their talent deserves to be recognised and fostered, helping them to reach their fullest potential.

At the University of Adelaide, I'm pleased to say that we have a huge number of scholarship recipients at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Our undergraduate scholarships for commencing students alone are valued at $1 million, and this year we gave scholarships to 150 new undergraduate students. This is a major commitment to providing the best educational opportunities for students who deserve them.

There are scholarships for commencing and continuing students, for those in financial need, for students with disabilities, for those from rural, regional or remote areas, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, for Honours students, postgraduate coursework and research students, for international students, and even some scholarships for those who study over their holidays.

It sounds like a lot - and it is - but we need more. Our students need more.

For every student who receives a scholarship, many dozens miss out. That means for many students, their educational opportunities and experiences are limited simply due to financial pressures. We should not accept that as the norm.

By offering an array of scholarships, the University of Adelaide provides hope to students who have the academic talent and ability but who might consider a university education to be beyond their grasp. There could be many reasons for this, such as concerns about the costs associated with study, or of relocating to the city from a country area.

Scholarships help us to provide higher education to those who deserve it, regardless of their socio-economic status, location or other disadvantage.

Industry and community support is critical in helping us to maintain and grow our scholarships. This year, SA Water doubled its scholarships, providing 24 students with financial support as well as offering some of them paid work experience. Such support is extremely important in providing educational opportunities as well as direct links between our students and industry.

Families such as the Hawker and Cowan families have been an outstanding presence in the provision of scholarships and bursaries to students. Members of the community have also been vital in supporting the annual Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships, which give exceptional students the opportunity to attend the University of Adelaide.

To all of those who already provide our students with scholarships each year, I thank you. To those who are considering support for scholarships, we welcome your generosity. The gift of knowledge is the best gift of all.

PROFESSOR JAMES A. McWHA
Vice-Chancellor and President