The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) with support from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office for Women has launched a multi-year scholarship program to support emerging and experienced female directors in regional, rural and remote Australia.

The program will provide opportunities for suitably qualified women from different backgrounds who face additional barriers to education and leadership participation.

Applicants are welcome who reflect the diversity of Australia’s population and encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally diverse women, women with disabilities and those in the not-for-profit sector to apply.

The first round of the program is offering the following courses to be undertaken in 2022:

• 30 full-fee scholarships to undertake the AICD’s Company Directors Course
• 24 full-fee scholarships to undertake the AICD’s Foundations of Directorship program.

Each scholarship includes subsidised travel and accommodation (capped claims) to the course location, a one-year membership to the AICD and a subscription to the AICD’s Directorship Opportunities service. Options to attend courses online are also

Applicants should apply for either the Foundations of Directorship program or the Company Directors Course, depending on their level of directorship experience.

The Foundations of Directorship program provides foundational knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of boards and directors. Held over three days, the Foundations of Directorship program includes 50 hours of pre-reading and an optional post-course assessment.

The AICD’s Company Directors Course is designed for directors from a diverse range of industries and organisations and is ideal for those looking to understand director roles and responsibilities in-depth, take their boardroom performance to

the next level and improve their impact in today’s evolving business landscape. Held over five days the course includes 80 hours of pre-reading and online preparation and an optional post-course assessment.

These scholarships are being administered by the Australian Scholarships Foundation.

Applications for the 2022 Australian Institute of Company Directors – Women’s Regional, Rural and Remote Diversity Scholarships close at 5pm (AEDT) on Friday 29 October 2021.