Today I announce the recipients of the Australia-Korea Foundation (AKF) grants for 2025-26 Grant Round.
The AKF strengthens the relationship between Australia and the Republic of Korea in ways that enhance mutual understanding and people-to-people links.
The 19 grant recipients are listed on the AKF website and include:
- A new short course on doing business in Korea and Australia, delivered by the University of Sydney in partnership with the Yonsei University, to strengthen Australia-Korea economic ties through education and professional exchange.
- A reciprocal peer mentoring program through James Cook University that links Australian and Korean working holidaymakers to help them to navigate cross-cultural challenges, explore career pathways and form long-lasting connections.
- An initiative led by Citrus Australia Ltd to deliver industry workshops and site visits in Australia and Korea to foster institutional relationships and boost confidence and growth in the export of Australian citrus into the Korean market.
I also announce the appointment of Dr Constantinos Yiallourides as the 2026 Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Seoul National University (SNU)'s Graduate School of International Studies, an initiative supported by Woodside Energy, SNU and the AKF.
Dr Yiallourides is an eminent Senior Lecturer in International Law at Macquarie University. As the second Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at SNU, Dr Yiallourides will foster research collaboration and connections between Australia and Korea.
Finally, I welcome Australian and Korean representatives from academia, industry and government to the fourth Korea Australia Future Forum in Sydney today, hosted by the AKF and Korea Foundation. The Forum is an important opportunity to exchange views and ideas to advance shared bilateral interests across the breadth of the Australia-Korea relationship, including strategic and security cooperation, economic security and trade, people-to-people links and innovation and technology collaboration.
