Australia’s largest health insurer, Bupa, has donated $20,000 to the University of Western Australia who will offer two new scholarships that are currently open for applications from Australian students.

The first scholarship is aimed at post-graduate students with a demonstrated interest in mental health who wish to commence a Master of Public Health, Master of Social Work, or Master of Clinical Psychology at the University.

The second scholarship is available for highachieving Indigenous students who wish to pursue a Bachelor of Arts.

Support for these scholarships mark the next phase of Bupa’s ongoing relationship with the University of Western Australia following its sponsorship of Perth Festival, which was established by the University of Western Australia in 1953.

General Manager of WA Partnerships at Bupa, Clinton Byrne said, “advancing mental health capabilities within the healthcare industry is a major priority for our company across Australia.”

“We are hopeful that the Bupa Mental Health scholarship will encourage a high-achieving individual to pursue a rewarding career in the industry and leave a legacy we can all benefit from,” said Mr Byrne.

One in five Australian’s experience mental health problems with suicide the leading cause of death of young people – accounting for one-third of deaths of Australians aged 15–24.

The Bupa Indigenous Scholarship for Arts will further bolster The University of Western Australia’s offerings to Indigenous students such as the ability to gain entry without an ATAR and a thriving Indigenous Studies department.

“As a leading health and care company in Australia, we are passionate about using our resources to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
 
“We understand the importance of advancing education and employment opportunities for Indigenous people and will continue to create career and education pathways within Bupa and through external scholarships such as this,” said Mr Byrne.

Tayyeb Shah, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Partnerships, University of Western Australia said, “we would like to thank Bupa for supporting these incredibly valuable scholarships in two priority areas for both the University of Western Australia and Bupa – these scholarships are currently available for any interested students.”