The recent ‘Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage’ report pointed to a significant gap in the level of education of Indigenous Australians compared to non-Indigenous Australians. The low number of well-educated Indigenous people within Indigenous communities is a contributing factor to a lack of economic development and participation by those communities in the mainstream economy. Educating the Indigenous leaders of tomorrow is essential to securing the economic future of Indigenous communities.

With that in mind, the IBA Board established the IBA Scholarship Fund in 2008. IBA General Manager, Ron Morony, says the Board is confident that “through the scholarship fund, mature-age Indigenous Australians can build economic knowledge, leadership skills and business acumen for their communities.  This knowledge transfer will contribute to economic development in Indigenous communities.”

The IBA Scholarship Fund acknowledges that mature-age students are more likely to return to their communities after study, where they often hold a position of influence and are able to apply their skills and knowledge for the benefit of the community.

The Fund supports study in courses with a commercial and economic management focus in the areas of business, leadership and finance.  Suitable courses include; business, accounting, financial management, commerce, tourism management, and governance.

The Fund provides recipients with the flexibility to choose which institution they wish to study at. An educational qualification can be gained through an Undergraduate Degree, Vocational Education and Training, TAFE, or a Capability Training short course.

Scholarships are intended for those who face financial burdens that might otherwise restrict their options for further study. IBA acknowledges that mature-aged students are often required to make significant personal and financial sacrifices when undertaking further study to advance their personal and career goals.

Aside from financial assistance, IBA can also provide non-financial support through connecting recipients with existing Indigenous support services, such as Indigenous Higher Education Centres (IHEC) or Indigenous Support Workers.  IHEC are located in Australian Universities and Indigenous Support workers are available at most TAFE institutes.  Recipients are supported to access the Australian Government’s Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme, which provides free tutorial assistance to
eligible students.

IBA Scholarship assistance is tailored to the individual circumstance and could include:

Study assistance

• Course costs
• Study resources/ancillary course costs
• Communication costs (telephone, broadband)
• IT equipment (lap top, printer)
• Living expenses
• Transport costs
• Child Care

Living away from home assistance

• Relocation costs
• Travel costs for family visits
• Accommodation costs

IBA opened an Expressions of Interest register for the scholarship in March 2009 with the intention of awarding a small number of places to eligible applicants to undertake study.  In total, an astounding 162 enquiries were received and six successful applicants were selected. The successful applicants came from Western Australia and Queensland, and are pursuing qualifications in business, management, commerce, hospitality and financial counselling.

Information on IBA Scholarship Fund rounds, eligibility criteria and guidelines can be found on the IBA website www.iba.gov.au.  For all other enquiries please contact the Scholarships Manager at scholarships@iba.gov.au or call 1800 107 107.