philanthropyOz Blog

Winners of Indigenous Scholarship to Oxford Uni announced

Two students have won the inaugural Charlie Perkins Scholarships, that will see them be the first Indigenous Australians to study at Oxford University.

Paul Gray (Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Aboriginal Studies from the University of Sydney) and Christian Thompson (acclaimed artist and Masters of Fine Art from RMIT in Melbourne) are the inaugural winners of the Charlie Perkins scholarship programme that will send them to study at Oxford University.

The scholarships, covering living expenses, air fares and tuition fees for up to three years, are supported jointly by the Australian Government, through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, the British Government and Rio Tinto, with Qantas supporting the program as official airline sponsor.

The scholarships are named in honour of Charlie Perkins, who while playing soccer professionally in the UK, was inspired to return to Australia to undertake university study after competing in a game against Oxford University. He was the first Indigenous Australian man to graduate from university and the first Indigenous head of an Australian Government department.

For more information see Aurora Project website.