ANZSOG announces First Nations scholarship for 2024

An Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or Māori public servant will receive a fully-funded place in one of ANZSOG’s 2024 foundation programs, which include the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA), through the next ANZSOG First Nations scholarship. 

This second ANZSOG scholarship was announced at the First Peoples to All Peoples conference in Meanjin Brisbane in March 2023, and is part of ANZSOG’s commitment to building capability in First Nations administration and lifting the number of potential First Nations leaders in all levels of the public sector. 

The recipient of the scholarship will be able to choose any ANZSOG foundation program: the EMPA, Towards Strategic Leadership, the Executive Fellows Program, or the Deputies Leadership Program, and have all academic costs covered. 

ANZSOG Dean and CEO Adam Fennessy PSM said the scholarship would give the recipient the skills and networks to become an effective future leader in the public sector. 

“ANZSOG is working to create culturally competent public services which value and include First Nations perspectives and value their cultures and knowledges,” Mr Fennessy said. 

“As part of this, public service organisations must work to recruit and retain First Nations staff at all levels and foster First Nations leadership inside and outside public services.” 

“This scholarship will help to build the capacity of First Nations leadership within the public sector and give the recipient a career-changing opportunity to become the best leader they can be.” 

Each program is designed for public servants at a different stage of their career, and all use ANZSOG’s unique networks of academics and practitioners to build capability, self-knowledge and understanding of what is required of leaders in the modern public sector. 

The inaugural scholarship was awarded in 2021 to Victorian public servant Brenda McDermott, a proud Palawa woman from the Manegin Community of North West Tasmania. She began the two-year EMPA program in 2022. 

Applicants for the scholarship must Identify as either Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or Māori and be currently working in the public sector in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand, and are expected to remain in the public service for the period of their scholarship. 

They must provide evidence of emerging leadership potential, including potential to contribute at the senior executive level as part of a future generation of Indigenous public sector leaders. 

The full scholarship selection criteria are available here. Applications will be accepted from 31 May to 6 October 2023, and information about how to apply will be added to the ANZSOG website prior to that date.  

For any enquiries contact ANZSOG Senior First Nations Advisors Sharon Nelson-Kelly and Shane Hoffman at firstnations@anzsog.edu.au.