A UQ student will help chart China’s rise on the world stage after winning a new scholarship awarded by the Prime Minister.
International Relations student Christian Jack joined fellow UQ student Elizabeth Philipson to receive their Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Awards on November 24 – two of only 20 given across Australia and Asia.
Mr Jack will spend a year studying in Beijing, and will also undertake an internship while overseas.
“I’m really overwhelmed, pleased and happy,” Mr Jack said.
“This is an amazing and exciting opportunity that fits in with all my interests.”
For one of Christian's tutors, his success comes as no surprise.
“He is one of the brightest and most dynamic students I’ve had the pleasure to teach over the course of my academic career,” said Dr Andrew Phillips, who acted as referee for Mr Jack’s application.
“Christian’s academic achievements, together with his extensive extra-curricular activities including his editorship of Contribute magazine and his active involvement in UQ’s UN student association, made him an ideal candidate for the PM’s Asia Endeavour Awards.”
Mr Jack’s area of study while in Beijing will be on China’s rise to the world stage and how that impacts on the international environment and Australia’s position in the region.
A more pressing assignment however is Mr Jack’s three month internship in Syria, which he begins this week.
“I’m working for the UN Relief Works Agency with Palestinian youths who have fled that country as refugees. My main responsibility will be to help in community development,” he said.
Mr Jack is due back in March and will then complete another semester of study before heading to China later in the year.
Media: Gillian Ievers (07 3365 1524, g.ievers@uq.edu.au)
