UNSW backs veterans with scholarship assistance

In the week of the Invictus Games, UNSW Canberra is upping its assistance for veterans to go to university.

Prince Harry greets a competitor at the Invictus Games in Sydney on Sunday

In today’s Higher Education Daily Brief: Invictus assistance, Japanese links

Help for veterans

In this, the week of the Invictus Games, UNSW Canberra is upping its assistance for veterans to go to university by offering to double the vale of made to the UNSW Veterans Scholarship program. Until October 27 it will match donations dollar for dollar up to $125,000. UNSW Canberra is the official university partner of the games which were founded by Prince Harry, who visited Sydney for the opening and the first days of competition.

UNSW Canberra’s rector, Michael Frater, said he hoped the scholarship would help provide its recipients with a new sense of purpose and help them build their career prospects in the civilian workforce. The scholarship is open to all former and current Australian service personnel who are transitioning to civilian life, or their dependents, who are experiencing disadvantage.

Japan research ties

Australian researchers are working with their Japanese counterparts on aged care robots to help meet the huge looming need in coming decades to care for the elderly. The robot research, which is a partnership between the University of SA and the Keio, Rissho and Toyo universities in Japan, is being highlighted at the Australia-Japan Innovation and Research Symposium in Kyoto this week.

Also on the agenda is a joint University of Tasmania and University of Hokkaido project to investigate the impact of climate change on phytoplankton, the tiny marine organisms which are at the base of the food chain in the world’s oceans.

The Australian delegation is being led by Universities Australia and chief executive Catriona Jackson pointed out the Australia’s low level of research spending compared to Japan’s.

“Over the last 30 years we’ve seen a worrying trend in Australia, with government and business spending less and less on R&D. This means we are lagging behind global competitors,” she said.

“For example, Japan spends 3.28 per cent of GDP on R&D compared to Australia’s 1.88 per cent. And Australian business spends only 1 per cent of GDP on research, compared to 2.57 per cent in Japan.”