Australia Awards South and West Asia

In 2025, Australia Awards continued to support Sri Lanka’s development priorities 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.

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

• Twenty-five scholars (18 women and seven men) completed their master’s degrees in 2025 and returned home as alumni to apply their learning in support of Sri Lanka’s development priorities.
• Twenty-eight emerging leaders from Sri Lanka received Scholarships for study commencing in Australia in 2026, including 19 women, one person with disability and eight people from ethnic minority groups.
• Thirty-seven Sri Lankan scholars participated in six Scholars Symposiums across Australia, strengthening their leadership skills and networking opportunities.
• Australia Awards delivered short-term training opportunities to 59 Sri Lankans (34 women and 25 men) in priority sectors, including governance, public policy, climate change, gender equality, health and human rights.
• Scholars, Short Course participants and alumni strengthened their capacity to respond to the challenge of climate change through targeted initiatives.
• Eight Sri Lankans were among the 51 Australia Awards alumni from South Asia and Mongolia who attended the 2025 Regional Alumni Workshop in Colombo from 7–9 April, held under the theme From inclusion to equity: Development for all. The workshop marked ten years since the inaugural Regional Alumni Workshop, also held in Colombo.

Reflecting on his Australia Awards experience, Sri Lankan alumnus Nipuna Bhanuka Wickramage, who completed a Master of Education at Flinders University, said, “The Australia Awards Scholarship expanded my understanding of multicultural education and deepened my commitment to integrating technology into teaching.”

“These experiences have not only enriched my perspective as an educator but also continue to guide my professional growth.”

Access the full report: 2025 Year in Review – Sri Lanka