A Palauan woman has been awarded an Australian Defence scholarship to attend university in Australia in January 18, 2018. Ms Oreng Ngemaes will attend the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia next year studying a Masters of Maritime Policy. The scholarship has been awarded as part of Australia’s Defence Scholarship Program, which aims to provide talented Pacific islanders with the opportunity to undertake further tertiary education at Australian universities, in areas of study associated with defence, fisheries and the maritime environment.
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Ms Ngemaes was congratulated by the Maritime Surveillance Advisor to Palau, LCDR Clint Moore. “This scholarship presents a great opportunity for Ms Ngemaes to gain specialty skill sets in developing Maritime Policy; an area particularly important for Palau as the Palau National Marine Sanctuary gets closer to becoming fully operational,” LCDR Moore said.
The Defence Scholarship program is part of Australia’s Defence Cooperation program with Palau, the main contribution of this program is the patrol boat PSS H.I. Remeliik. PSS Remeliik has been in service with the Division of Marine Law Enforcement for over 20 years, patrolling Palau’s waters for illegal fishing and providing surveillance of Palau’s exclusive economic zone. [/restrict]