Nominations now open for the 2019 Ambassador Awards for
Lao Australian Alumni
Throughout the Lao PDR, there are more than 1,500 Lao professionals who have had a short or long term study experience in Australia or with an Australian institution, through the support of the Australian Government, another organisation or their own means.
This elite Australian alumni community are spread across the Lao PDR, where they are using the skills, knowledge and networks gained through their Australian educational experience to support to their nation’s development.
The Annual Australian Alumni Celebration is the Australian Embassy in Laos’ biggest event to celebrate these achievements and contributions. This year’s event will take place on Friday 6 December at the Crowne Plaza in Vientiane from 6-8pm.
As part of this year’s event, Ambassador Awards for Lao Australian Alumni will be given by the Australian Ambassador to help recognise the extraordinary contributions alumni make towards the development of Laos and Lao PDR-Australia relations.
The objectives of the 2019 Ambassador Awards for Lao Australian Alumni are to:
- recognise and showcase the significant contribution made by Australian alumni in select fields as outlined below;
- highlight and showcase Australia as an excellent “education destination” for prospective Lao students by profiling the exceptional - achievements of those who have undertaken Australian educational studies;
- help broaden and deepen the people-to-people links between Australia and Laos.
To register for the Annual Celebration or to nominate for an Ambassador Award, please follow this link: http://bit.ly/AlumniAmbassadorAwards
Ambassador Awards
Category 1: Ambassador Awards of Achievement - OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS
Awards for alumni who have achieved constructive social impacts.
Subcategories:
- Ambassador Award for Innovation and initiative
This Award will be given to one Australian alumnae/alumnus who has demonstrated visionary innovation, initiative and/or entrepreneurship, for example: designing and leading a project or event, founding an association, initiating a reform or change.
- Ambassador Award for Women in Leadership
This award will be given to one Australian alumnae (woman) who has made an outstanding contribution to their organisation, profession, community and/or industry.
- Ambassador Award for a Male Champion of Change
This award will be given to one Australian alumnus (man) who has demonstrated strong personal and/or professional commitment to principles and values of fairness, equality and equity, and/or made an outstanding contribution towards promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Category 2: Ambassador Awards of Contribution – NOT OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS
Awards for alumni who have contributed to Lao PDR-Australia cooperation. This could be multiple awards at the Ambassadors discretion.
Subcategories:
- Ambassador Award for Bilateral Contribution
This award will be given to one or more alumni who have made a significant contribution to Australia’s human resource development initiative in Laos, including through Australian public diplomacy events, scholarship promotion and professional development training.
Eligibility
If you are a Lao Australian alumnus, you are eligible to nominate yourself or any of your fellow alumni for a Category 1 Award. Nominations will not be accepted from or for non-alumni.
In accordance with the Australia Global Alumni Strategy, a Lao Australian alumni is any Lao person who has had an educational experience with an Australian institution in Australia, Laos, a third country or online, including full-fee paying (private) students, scholarship recipients, and short course or professional training participants.
This means our alumni include participants in:
- The Colombo Plan and other Australian government funded scholarships for study in Australia prior to 1996;
- Australia Awards Scholarships and Fellowships;
- Endeavour Scholarships;
- Defence and AFP scholarships and training in Australia;
- ACIAR scholarships and training in Australia;
- Project or private sector-funded scholarships and short courses with an Australian institution in Australia, Laos, a third country or online;
- DFAT International Graduate Program participants; and
- private fee-paying or private sector scholarship students who have obtained Australian tertiary qualifications.
Prizes
The chosen alumni in each category will be presented with an award by the Ambassador during the Annual Alumni Celebration on the evening of 6 December 2019 at the Crowne Plaza in Vientiane. In addition, awardees will receive a special invitation to dine with the Australian Ambassador, attend the Australian Embassy’s formal Australia Day function in Vientiane on 23 January 2020, and other events as appropriate.
Awardees will also be given the opportunity to be profiled for Embassy communications and publications and may also receive opportunities to represent Australia Awards Scholarships for the 2020 intake.
Nomination and Selection Process
Step 1 Alumni nominate themselves or fellow alumni for a Category 1 Award via this link http://bit.ly/AlumniAmbassadorAwards. Nominations are open now until 24 November 2019!
Step 2 After the nomination period closes, alumni who have been nominated for an award will be informed.
Step 3 The Ambassador selects the winning awardees.
Step 4 The Awards winners will be announced at the annual alumni event on 6 December 2019.