Governance Institute awards scholarships to three high-achievers

Recipients hail from Port Moresby, Perth and Canberra.

Governance Institute of Australia has awarded the 2018 Leonard Watson Chant Legacy postgraduate governance scholarship to three outstanding professionals.

The 2018 winners are:

• Lynna Kaiau-Waho (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea), assistant manager, University Student Information System at the University of Papua New Guinea
• Gabrielle Trenbath (WA), board member, Disability Services, Avivo: Live Life, and Physical Disability Australia
• Alan Wu (ACT), board member, Oxfam Australia and Democracy in Colour.

The scholarship covers the fees for each student’s preferred governance course, up to a maximum of $13,140.

Steven Burrell, chief executive of Governance Institute, congratulated the winners and praised their commitment to developing their governance expertise in order to effect positive changes in their own organisations and their industries more broadly.

‘The calibre of our 2018 winners is exceptional. I commend them for their talent, their passion for governance excellence and their desire to make a real difference in their organisations and communities,’ Mr Burrell said.

Lynna Kaiau-Waho, from the University of Papua New Guinea, hopes her scholarship will help lead to a growing understanding of corporate governance practices in her country. She is passionate about seeing change in her society, which she notes ranks poorly in international measures of corruption.

‘Corporate governance is a new concept in my country. I believe the skills and knowledge I’ll gain in studying governance will help me fight corruption. By passing on what I learn to colleagues and students, my Christian community of St John Baptist-Ensisi, Mary Queen of Pacific Parish and the broader community I’ll help raise the governance standards in PNG,’ Ms Kaiau-Waho said.

Gabrielle Trenbath has cerebral palsy. She serves on several boards, including those of Disability Services and Physical Disability Australia; she wants to be more effective in these roles. Furthermore, she is keen to use her skills and knowledge in corporate governance to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Western Australia.

‘I have gained appointments on the basis of my lived experience as a woman with a disability. Through the study the Chant Scholarship affords me I hope to develop the skills to be included for my abilities, not just my experience,’ Ms Trenbath said.

Alan Wu is on an impressive trajectory. He serves as the youngest member of the board of Oxfam Australia, was previously the Chair of Australia’s peak body for young people, and has held positions with the UN Environment Programme and UNESCO. He was recently named the Australian National University’s Young Alumnus of the Year.

‘Completion of the Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance will build upon my experience in law and public administration, and result in a deeper understanding of the principles of good governance, risk and compliance, financial management, and accountability and transparency. My intention is to continue contributing to building a more inclusive and engaged society through governance roles,’ said Mr Wu.

Mr Burrell observed that all three scholarship recipients had chosen to undertake Governance Institute’s Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance.

‘The winners were entitled to pursue any governance course from an accredited institution anywhere in the world. Yet all chose to study with Governance Institute. This is a great endorsement of our world-class qualification,’ he said.

‘I wish our winners the best with their studies and am confident they will go on to achieve great things in their careers and in the public sphere.’

Background on the Chant Legacy Scholarship

Applications were judged by an independent committee of widely respected governance and educational professionals, comprised of:

• Trisha Mok, Executive Director, Legal & Compliance and Company Secretary at Scentia
• Julie Hare, Associate Director of Education at KPMG Australia
• Philomena Leung, Associate Dean, International and Corporate Engagement, Faculty of Business and Economics, Macquarie University

Scholarships are available to applicants seeking to pursue postgraduate governance studies at any government-accredited tertiary institution anywhere in the world and are based on merit and financial need.

Successful applicants receive payments to cover course fees of up to AUD$2,190 per subject, to a maximum of AUD$13,140 for the whole course.

Applications for the next round of scholarships will open in September 2018.

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Media contact: media@governanceinstitute.com.au