Today La Trobe University announced the Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship, providing a life-changing opportunity for an aspiring female researcher from India to make a meaningful impact in the world.
Aligned to Shah Rukh Khan’s leadership on humanitarian and social justice causes, this prestigious four-year PhD scholarship aims to inspire a female researcher from India to undertake research to help find solutions to the growing challenges of our time. The scholarship is being introduced in recognition of Mr Khan’s dedication to women’s empowerment, through his Meer Foundation.
Registrations opened today for research candidates to submit their interest for the scholarship by 30 August 2019. The successful candidate will be a female Indian national who has completed a Masters by Research degree (or equivalent) within the past 10 years.
The candidate will be supported with a four-year research scholarship valued in excess of $200,000 (AUD) to be completed at La Trobe’s state-of-the-art facilities in Melbourne, Australia. They will undertake research supervised by the University’s leading experts in either health, sport, information technology, cyber security or engineering.
The announcement was made during Shah Rukh Khan’s visit to La Trobe University as chief guest of the 2019 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. La Trobe is the first Australian University to award Shah Rukh Khan with an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters (honoris causa), in recognition of his wide-ranging humanitarian work, including establishing the Meer Foundation to support and empower women who have survived acid attacks in India.
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Dewar, said Mr Khan’s philanthropic leadership drove the decision to create a PhD scholarship in his name.
“The Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship recognises Mr Khan’s extraordinary altruism, demonstrated in his work to advocate for women’s empowerment,” Professor Dewar said.
“Reflecting La Trobe’s values of inclusivity, equity and social justice, this scholarship will offer a unique and potentially life-changing opportunity for an Indian woman to conduct research in a critical area affecting the world such a cyber security, health or engineering.”
Shah Rukh Khan welcomed the announcement of a scholarship in his name.
“As a passionate advocate for women’s equality and empowerment, I am delighted that this scholarship will give an Indian woman a chance to pursue research in a field which is likely to lead her towards an exciting and successful career. I thank La Trobe University wholeheartedly for giving someone this wonderful opportunity,” Mr Khan said.
The Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship recipient will receive benefits including:
- a four-year La Trobe University Full-Fee Research Scholarship
- a La Trobe Graduate Research Scholarship for three and a half years, with a value of $27,596 (AUD) per annum (2019 rate) to support living costs
- visa length Overseas Student Health Cover for a single candidate
- access to La Trobe’s world-class research facilities, suite of professional development programs and supervision by award-winning researchers
Interested candidates must submit their eligibility for the Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship by 30 August 2019.
