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 sponsors of the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program include Australian Eggs, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA), Dairy Australia, Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), Hort Innovation, FMC Australasia, Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), and the AgriFutures Thoroughbred Horses, Rice and Emerging Industries Programs.
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, says that in order to build prosperous and sustainable rural industries, it is important to attract and retain a skilled and passionate workforce, including ‘up and coming’ leaders.
“Building the capacity, knowledge and skills of Australia’s future workforce is vital to the growth of Australian agriculture and a priority right across our rural industries. This scholarship provides students with a platform for networking, forward thinking and idea creation needed to forge a career in the industry,” said Mr Harvey.
In recent years, the Horizon Scholarship offering has been broadened to include 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 the Australian agricultural workforce. 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,” said Mr Harvey.
To be eligible for the 2022 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship students must:
- Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Be studying an undergraduate degree at an Australian university
- Be entering the final two years of their degree in 2022