Dhaka: Australian government’s ‘New Colombo Plan’ mobility grants will support 101 of their undergraduate students to live, study and undertake work placements in Bangladesh next year.

The New Colombo Plan mobility students will return to Australia with new insights and understanding about Bangladesh and new friendships that will last a lifetime, according to Australian High Commission in Dhaka.

These students will study a broad range of subjects, including health, engineering and technology, journalism, law, photography and business at institutions, including BRACUniversity, Bangladeshi Law Reform Commission, Centre, Pathshala South Asia Media Academy, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

The new Colombo Plan allows Australian students to deepen their academic and life experiences through study and work placements in Bangladesh.

The Plan is a signature initiative of the Australian government to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific by supporting Australian undergraduate students to study and undertake internships in the region.

Mobility projects are open to students from any discipline, and range from short-term study tours to semester-based study and internships.

The Australian government has committed $100 million in new funding over five years to implement the New Colombo Plan.

Earlier, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop and Minister for Education and Training Christopher Pyne released details of the 461 mobility projects that will be funded in 2016 under the New Colombo Plan.