A group of 48 Vietnamese scholars and professionals have been selected to receive Australian scholarships worth 6.7 million AUD in total (6.2 million USD), said sources from the Australian Embassy.

The embassy said in the Jan. 13 press release that the Australian Endeavour Awards will help the awardees to study, research and join professional training in Australia in 2010.

Twenty six scholars were presented with their awards at a function held at the Australian Ambassador’s residence in Hanoi on the same day. The other 22 scholars will be awarded later at a similar event in Ho Chi Minh City.

The embassy said the Australian Endeavour Awards are selected on merit through an international competition. Vietnamese candidates won three prestigious Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Awards, from a total of only ten in the world.

“Vietnamese applicants have performed exceptionally well, receiving the highest number of awards of any Southeast Asian country. Vietnam won the most highly competitive postgraduate awards, surpassing candidates from much larger countries,” it said.

The Endeavour Awards also provide opportunities for Australian to undertake research and professional development with Vietnamese organisations and institutions. Later this year seven Australians will take up Endeavour Awards for research and collaboration in Vietnam./.