Partnerships between Australian universities and not-for-profit organisation Asha, are delivering lasting opportunities for students in Delhi, allowing them to access higher education and pathways to leadership.
Asha's founder Dr Kiran Martin, was in Melbourne on Wednesday, discussing the health, education and social development programs the organisation delivers to slum communities in India's capital city, and the impact the program has on students.
"For decades, young people growing up in Delhi's slums were told that higher education, leadership, and global opportunities were beyond their reach," Dr Martin said.
"Today, through extraordinary partnerships with Australian universities, those same young people are studying for Masters degrees in Australia on full equity scholarships.
"This is not charity. It is the unlocking of human potential.
"These partnerships are transforming not only individual lives, but entire families and communities, and they are creating future leaders who will go back and help reshape India itself."
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Culture and Engagement) Professor Michael Wesley emphasised the transformative impact of the University of Melbourne's partnership with Asha and the Melbourne Welcoming Universities Scholarship – Asha, which provided a fully supported master's pathway for a student from Delhi this year.
"Every time we provide an opportunity to a talented student like those supported by Asha, we see the transformative power of education, not just for that individual, but for the communities and generations that follow," Professor Wesley said.
"At the University of Melbourne, we are committed to opening up these life-changing pathways, one student at a time.
"By bringing together exceptional minds from diverse backgrounds and experiences, we help nurture the next generation of leaders whose unique perspectives will enable societies to thrive and foster a peaceful, collaborative, and prosperous future for all."
Australia India Institute CEO Lisa Singh reflected on the opportunities that Asha provides through Australia-India education partnerships.
"Through Asha's partnerships with institutions like the University of Melbourne, young people are gaining opportunities that were once unimaginable — not just changing individual lives, but strengthening families and communities."
