ANU students embark on life-changing trip to the Indo-Pacific in record year for the University

A record 23 students from The Australian National University (ANU) will live, study and intern in the Indo-Pacific after receiving New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholarships for 2026. 

It’s the largest cohort of students the University has ever had in a single scholarship round since the program’s inception in 2014 and marks an increase from last year when 17 ANU students were awarded NCP scholarships for 2025. 

The ANU students will be based in China, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, with the intention of immersing themselves in the local culture and strengthening ties with our closest neighbours. 

This year’s NCP scholarship round will see a record number of young Australian university students travel to Indonesia and India, as well as the first cohort to travel to Timor-Leste under the NCP initiative. 

2026 Indonesia Scholar and ANU student Lily Kelsey has been selected as the 2026 NCP Language Fellow. 

Under the NCP Program, Lily, who is studying politics, philosophy, economics and international security studies at ANU, will be undertaking full-time language training in Bahasa Indonesia and language immersion courses at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, as well as an internship related to trade policy. 

“I hope that my experience as an NCP scholar will strengthen my knowledge and understanding of trade between Australia and Indonesia so that I can contribute to stronger business ties between Australia and Indonesia throughout my career. In addition, I hope to achieve an advanced level of Indonesian language ability,” Kelsey said. 

“I am most looking forward to building genuine relationships with people in the region and gaining a more nuanced understanding of Indonesian life, culture and beliefs.” 

Fourth-year student Malika Knapp, who is studying a double degree in Medical Science and International Relations at ANU, will spend 12 months living in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea where she hopes to build meaningful connections, friendships, and professional networks, while gaining first-hand exposure to local health systems and the work of international health organisations. 

Knapp one day aspires to work in global health diplomacy, health security and international development in Southeast Asia and the Pacific for the United Nations (UN) or the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). 

“The objective of my NCP program is to build the foundations for future trilateral health cooperation between Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, and to strengthen Australia’s role in regional health diplomacy,” Knapp said. 

“Through hands-on experience with local NGOs, national medical research institutions, and international health organisations, I aim to better understand how Australia can enhance regional health security – particularly through improved disease surveillance, stronger health systems, and effective outbreak preparedness and response.” 

The 23 NCP recipients from ANU are among a cohort of 328 Australian undergraduate students offered scholarships for 2026. This is the largest cohort of scholars to ever travel to the Indo-Pacific under the Australian Government initiative and represents an increase of almost 50 per cent from the 2025 scholarship round. 

The brainchild of former Australian Foreign Affairs Minister and current ANU Chancellor, the Hon Julie Bishop, the NCP provides an opportunity for students to develop their Indo-Pacific capability and Asia literacy through study, language learning and internships, in programs of up to 19 months. 

For 2026, a record number of students will undertake long-term study programs in Asian languages, including Bahasa Indonesia, Mandarin, Japanese and Vietnamese. 

Since 2014, the NCP has supported more than 56,000 young Australian students through study, internships and language training in 38 host nations across the Indo-Pacific. 

The 2026 NCP scholars from ANU are:  

• Margot Harris. Host nation: China 

• Elaine Li. Host nation: China 

• Alexander Munro. Host nation: China 

• Madhumitha Mallichetty. Host nation: Fiji 

• Isabella Dunstan. Host nation: Indonesia 

• Dylan Field. Host nation: Indonesia 

• Zara Hemingway. Host nation: Indonesia 

• Allyssa Ingham. Host nation: Indonesia 

• Lily Kelsey. Host nation: Indonesia  

• Malika Knapp. Host nation: Indonesia 

• Darcy Oates. Host nation: Indonesia 

• Primrose Sands. Host nation: Indonesia 

• Zachary Downey. Host nation: Japan 

• Cooper Kingston. Host nation: Japan 

• Tania Mendiola Urzua. Host nation: Japan 

• Drishya Shrestha. Host nation: Japan 

• Hannah Ireland. Host nation: Republic of Korea 

• Dominic Kelly. Host nation: Republic of Korea 

• Olivia Phelps. Host nation: Republic of Korea 

• Anneka Rogers. Host nation: Republic of Korea 

• Harrison Bowden. Host nation: Singapore 

• Hannah Wang. Host nation: Singapore 

• Yu-Ting Cathy Lin. Host nation: Taiwan 

Learn more about the New Colombo Plan at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)’s website.