North Malaita student gets an interview along with other AusAid students in Tasmania's premier Newspaper

By Blair Richards

A new group of international students at the University of Tasmania is the face of a Federal Government international aid program.

AusAID Australian Scholarships are awarded to high achievers from developing Asia-Pacific nations.

After completing their studies in Australia, the students must return to their home nations to apply skills.

NEW KNOWLEDGE ... From left, Vuong Duc Tran, of Vietnam, Exsley Taloiburi, of the Solomons, Indra Krishnamurti, Luci Agustini, Purnamila Sulistyawati and Anung Riapanitra, all of Indonesia, have become the face of the Federal Government's international AusAID program [Picture: KIM EISZELE].

Exsley Taloiburi, 27, who was awarded an Australian Leadership Award, said: "It aims to develop potential and existing leaders from the Asia-Pacific region."

Mr Taloiburi will attend a leadership forum in Canberra next month and said the Solomon Islands needed a new generation of leaders.

"In a small country like the Solomon Islands, that is very important," he said. "We need good leaders."

Mr Taloiburi is studying environmental management and said: "I'm planning to work in the public service either in the Ministry of Environment or in the fisheries sector."

Purnamila Sulistyawati, 29, and Luci Augustini, 31, both of Indonesia, are studying agricultural science and researching ways to treat diseases in plantation trees.

Anung Riapanitra, 26, is a chemistry lecturer and one of the first from his Indonesian university to study abroad.

The students said they felt welcome in Hobart but were struggling with cold weather.

Source: The Mercury