Western Union and The Western Union Foundation, the charitable arm of Western Union, has donated funds to provide six tertiary scholarships to the University of Sydney, available to undergraduate students pursuing studies in fields such as engineering, business or science, and with a focus on technology and innovation.

The 2018 WU Foundation Scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit and financial need, with preference given to students with Indigenous or refugee backgrounds.

The donations form part of an ongoing partnership between Western Union and the University of Sydney and are particularly important as global competition for students increases and governments face tighter funding and resource budgets.

With international education being Australia’s third largest export, the success and continued attractiveness of Australia as the destination of choice for international students is vital for these institutions – particularly as the landscape with regards to funding and resources continues to change.

Mark Davis, Western Union Business Solutions Managing Director and Head of Australia and New Zealand, said, “One of our aims at Western Union and the WU Foundation is to enhance the opportunities for Australia’s migrant and indigenous student communities. We’re extremely proud of our long-standing relationship with the University of Sydney; and our collective focus and partnership in helping to realise this mission”.

Further showing its commitment to education in Australia, Western Union President and Chief Executive Officer, Hikmet Ersek, along with Davis, presented the scholarships to Dr. Michael Spence AC, the Vice-Chancellor of Sydney University.

Ersek said, “Our partnerships with universities around the world demonstrate our commitment to improving education as a pathway towards a better future. The Western Union Foundation recognises education as a universal need that has the ability to create opportunity and improve lives, having committed more than US$77 million (A$100million) to education programs and causes around the world,” he said.