New Colombo Plan Semester Program 2027 Round

Overview

The strategic objective of the New Colombo Plan (NCP), as described in Program 1.5 of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Portfolio Budget Statement (PBS) is to advance Australia’s interests and bilateral relationships through enduring people-to-people, institutional and business links with the Indo-Pacific region. The intended outcomes of the NCP are: for participants to acquire Indo-Pacific capability and Asia literacy to foster deeper people-to-people and education relationships between Australia and the Indo-Pacific, and  to increase Australia's economic engagement with the region by supporting NCP participants to build job-ready skills, and supporting NCP alumni to maintain their ties to the Indo-Pacific. The 2027 NCP Semester Program will provide funding to Australian universities to leverage their partnership arrangements to support 1 to 2 semester-length experiences for Australian undergraduate students. Credit-bearing internships and other programs that contribute to mandatory course completion can also be undertaken. The objective of the NCP Semester Program is to provide opportunities for Australian undergraduate students to build their Indo-Pacific capability and Asia literacy, including Asian language learning, through semester-length structured learning programs in areas of Australia’s strategic and economic interests. The intended outcomes of the NCP Semester Program include: participants develop their Indo-Pacific knowledge and capability, including language skills, in line with Australia’s strategic and economic interests Australian universities leverage institutional partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and there is an expansion of engagement with counterpart institutions in priority host locations, languages and sectors, and alumni maintain and develop their Indo-Pacific capability, including language skills, and engagement with the region.