The Australian Institute for International Affairs Queensland has presented the 2016 AIIA Qld Asia-Pacific Scholarship to Elizabeth Dowrie of Griffith University.

Ms Dowrie is studying for a combined Law/Government and International Relations degree and will use the $2000 scholarship funding to undertake a semester’s study at the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing.

The AIIA Queensland Asia-Pacific Scholarship was established to assist Australian students at Queensland universities to undertake study in the Asia-Pacific region and is awarded annually. The Governor of Queensland His Excellency The Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, with Mrs Kaye de Jersey, hosted a reception at reception at Government House on Tuesday 22 November, where His Excellency presented the 2016 AIIA Qld Asia-Pacific Scholarship to Elizabeth Dowrie.

Ms Dowrie intends to use it to further her studies of legal and gender issues in Asia. In addition to spending a semester at the China University of Political Science and Law, she will complete an internship with an organisation specialising in women’s legal issues to equip her with skills to empower individuals and groups to tackle gender-based violence.

AIIA Queensland President, Geoffrey Ewing congratulated Ms Dowrie and said the AIIA Qld Executive Committee selected her on the basis of her outstanding academic record and her high level of leadership and community engagement. “We were impressed by Elizabeth Dowrie’s commitment to developing a broader understanding of China with a particular focus on problems relating to violence against women,” he said.