Australia Awards South and West Asia

In 2025, Australia Awards continued to support development in Bhutan and India by equipping emerging leaders with skills, networks and leadership experience to drive meaningful change. The 2025 Year in Review highlights the impact of Australia Awards Scholarships, short-term training and alumni engagement in Bhutan and India.

Key highlights from 2025, as presented in the Year in Review, include:

• Twelve scholars (seven women and five men) from Bhutan completed their master’s degrees in 2025 and returned home as alumni to support Bhutan’s development.
• Seventeen Bhutanese scholars participated in five Scholars Symposiums across Australia, strengthening engagement and enhancing leadership skills.
• Australia Awards supported 31 Bhutanese and 25 Indian participants to complete a total of five Short Courses.
• Six Bhutanese and 12 Indian participants built their knowledge through four Australian Professional Opportunities.
• Scholars, Short Course participants and alumni strengthened their capacity to respond to the challenge of climate change through targeted initiatives.
• Alumni engagement activities included the first Australia Awards networking event for alumni in India, hosted by the Australian High Commission.

Referring back to her Short Course, Indian alumna Smita Chakravarty, who completed a Short Course on Integrating Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction in 2023, said, “Being part of the Australia Awards Short Course was both professionally enriching and personally rewarding, and it continues to deliver benefits as an alumna.”

“The relationships and professional networks I formed remain valuable, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and learning that inform and strengthen my work.”

Bhutanese scholar Jigme Thinley, currently pursuing a Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management at the Australian National University, shared his thoughts on his Australia Awards Scholarship, saying “My formal studies and extracurricular activities are equipping me with the skills to support startups, inform innovation-focused policy and promote youth-driven economic development.”

“These experiences will enable me to foster an inclusive and sustainable innovation ecosystem in my community in Bhutan.”

Access the full report: 2025 Year in Review – Bhutan and India.