Quad leaders launch STEM fellowship programme
The first-of-its-kind scholarship programme aims to bring together the top minds of the Quad members in science and technology
The leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad on Tuesday launched a new fellowship programme to sponsor 100 American, Australian, Indian and Japanese students to pursue advanced courses in science and technology at US universities.
The Quad Fellowship Programme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden on the margins of the Quad Leaders Summit in Tokyo.
"The Quad Fellowship Programme is a wonderful and unique initiative. This prestigious fellowship will offer our students great opportunities to pursue graduate and doctorate programmes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics," Modi said at the launch.
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The programme will encourage academic excellence and promote people-to-people linkages between the four countries, he said. "I encourage our students to apply for the Quad Fellowship Programme and join the next generation of STEM leaders and innovators building a better future for humanity," he added.
The first-of-its-kind scholarship programme aims to bring together the top minds of the Quad members in science and technology. The fellowship will sponsor 100 students a year – 25 from each Quad member — to pursue degrees at leading STEM graduate universities in the US, external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
The programme will also develop a network of experts committed to advancing innovation and collaboration across sectors, he said.
The Quad Fellowship Programme will empower "exceptional STEM graduate students to advance research and innovation throughout their careers with a lens of positive social impact", the White House said in a fact sheet issued ahead of the Quad Summit.
The programme will include scholarships, immersive events at the nexus of STEM and society, mentorship, career-advancing programming, and cross-cultural exchange opportunities, the fact sheet said.
Applications for the Quad Fellowship Programme will be accepted till June 30, and the first class of Quad fellows will arrive on campus in autumn 2023.
