Fellowships to bring international knowledge to Australia’s nursery industry

Nursery industry participants have the chance to travel to other countries and learn new information, technology and skills to benefit the Australian industry.

Hort Innovation has partnered with the Churchill Trust to offer three Churchill Fellowships annually for the next four years, each valued at around $26,000, to give Australians the opportunity to travel overseas to conduct research in their chosen field that isn’t readily available here.

The Fellowships are open to any horticulture industry participants, including those in the nursery industry, who have an idea for a research project that can benefit the sector.

Chief executive of the Churchill Trust, Adam Davey, says there are two things every Churchill Fellowship applicant must display.

“The first is to present a research project that will provide benefit to the Australian community. The second is showing how all of the skills, insights and knowledge gathered from world experts can be shared when returning home,” Mr Davey said.

“A Churchill Fellowship is for anyone who would like to see what other countries are doing to inspire newideas, innovation and excellence, and because it’s held in such high regard, it provides access to expertise that is not typically available to everyone.”

Applications for the 2018 Fellowships will open shortly, so now is the time to start brainstorming areas of interest that could be explored in international settings. Previous industry-relevant topics undertaken by Churchill Fellows include:

Investigating landscaping practices and plant selection for ornamental horticulture within dry climates in the United Kingdom (UK), Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Netherlands and France
Investigating the use of horticulture as a tool for developing vocational, social and therapeutic benefits for people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups in United States of America (USA), Canada and the UK
Investigating the management of urban public parks and gardens in the USA, Canada and the UK.

No prescribed qualifications are required to apply and the subject of the proposed project is limitless provided there is a benefit to Australian horticulture and a willingness to share research finding with the community.

Important dates for 2018 Fellowships:

1 February 2018 – Applications open
27 April 2018 – Applications close
May/June 2018 – Applications reviewed. Short-listed applicants called for interview
June/July 2018 – Short-listed applicants attend interview in relevant State or Territory
September 2018 – Successful applicants notified
February 2019 – Fellowship travel commences.

Churchill Fellowships are funded by the Hort Frontiers Leadership Fund, part of the Hort Frontiers strategic partnership initiative developed by Hort Innovation, with co-investment from the Winston Churchill Memorial Foundation and contributions from the Australian Government.

For more information visit https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/application-process/how-to-apply/.

Or contact Sharyn Casey at Hort Innovation on 0414 257 616 or sharyn.casey@horticulture.com.au