UNIVERSITY students have less than two weeks left to apply for the 2021 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship, with applications closing on Friday, January 15, 2021.
In partnership with a range of industry sponsors, the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship is an initiative to support the next generation of leaders that will drive the future prosperity of Australian rural industries and communities.
The scholarship provides students with a $10,000 bursary over the final two years of their undergraduate degree and opportunities to build leadership skills and collaborate across rural industries.
Scholars also attend an annual four-day professional development workshop and complete two weeks of industry work placement.
Throughout their time in the program, they are exposed to a range of industry networks, including opportunities to attend industry events, gaining vital skills and insights across traditional and emerging areas of Australian agriculture.
AgriFutures Australia managing director John Harvey said that in order to build prosperous and sustainable rural industries, it was important to focus on the next generation of leaders.
"Building the capacity, knowledge and skills of Australia's future rural leaders is vital to the growth of Australian agriculture," Mr Harvey said.
"This scholarship provides students with a platform for networking, forward thinking and idea creation needed to forge a career in the industry."
In recent years, the scholarship offering has been broadened to include science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees, recognising the importance of collaboration across a variety of disciplines to support the growth of rural industries.
"The AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship attracts students who are diverse, passionate and progressive, with the capability to be future leaders of Australian agriculture," Mr Harvey said.
"Providing these students with the opportunity to come together in the same room creates a platform for collaboration which is invaluable for the scholars and rural industries alike.
"I thank all of the industry sponsors who make this possible and share our commitment to building the capacity of future leaders."
To be eligible for the 2021 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship students must:
- Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident;
- Be studying an undergraduate degree at an Australian university; and
- Be entering the final two years of their degree in 2021.
Eligible degrees include traditional agriculture degrees such as rural science, animal science and agribusiness, along with STEM degrees with major studies and subject selections relevant to, and aligned with, agriculture.
Students who are passionate about the future of Australian agriculture are encouraged to apply.
Scholarship recipients will be selected on the basis of their commitment to a career in agriculture, as well as their leadership potential and tertiary academic record to date.
Applications close Friday, January 15, 2021 at midnight AEDT.
Shortlisted applicants will be required to participate in a telephone interview in February 2021 and scholarship recipients will be announced in April 2021.
