Australia Awards South and West Asia

In 2025, Australia Awards continued to support Nepal’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 in Nepal.

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

• Twenty-four Nepalis (15 women and nine men) completed their degrees with the support of Australia Awards Scholarships.
• Nineteen diverse applicants from Nepal received Scholarships for study commencing in 2026.
• Nepali scholars participated in Indigenous engagement activities across Australia, learning about the history, culture and achievements of Australia’s First Nations peoples.
• Twenty-two Nepali scholars took part in five Scholars Symposiums across Australia, designed to strengthen leadership skills and empower participants as changemakers in Nepal.
• Scholars, Short Course and Australian Professional Opportunity participants, and alumni strengthened their capacity to respond to the challenge of climate change through targeted initiatives.
• Australia Awards delivered short-term training opportunities to 58 Nepalis in priority sectors, including climate change, forest fire management and Indigenous knowledge.
• Seven Nepalis were among the 51 Australia Awards alumni from South Asia and Mongolia who attended the 2025 Regional Alumni Workshop in Sri Lanka on the theme of From inclusion to equity: Development for all.

Reflecting on his Scholarship experience, scholar Manoj Raut, who is pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the Australian National University, said, “As an Australia Awards scholar, I found this opportunity to be far more than just an academic journey. Building lifelong connections with people from diverse countries and allowing me to gain valuable insights into Australia’s culture, society and policy landscape, it has enriched both my personal and professional growth in deeply meaningful ways.”

Access the full report: 2025 Year in Review – Nepal