The Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation is proud to announce a new $35 million philanthropic agreement with the University of Melbourne to establish a transformative scholarship program for high-achieving, leadership-driven students enrolled in its Faculty of Arts.
Starting in 2027, the ‘Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation Scholarship in the Humanities’ will support 150 students studying liberal arts and humanities. Worth $32,000 per annum, it encompasses comprehensive financial assistance, academic enrichment, overseas study opportunities, and leadership development. The Centre will also fund staffing to support the program.
Ramsay Centre CEO Dr Martin Fahy said the new partnership, “reflected a meeting of purpose: the University of Melbourne’s commitment to educating thoughtful, capable and socially minded humanities students, and the Ramsay Centre’s dedication to advancing education through the study and discussion of the Western intellectual tradition.”
“Students will be invited to engage deeply in disciplines and experiences grounded in that tradition, within a rich and rigorous humanities education. In that spirit of aligned purpose, the generosity of our benefactor, the late Paul Ramsay AO, helps bring this program to life and to sustain its aspirations.”
“We are delighted to be supporting this program at one of Australia’s highest performing universities in the Humanities, with the University of Melbourne generally ranking number one in Australia and within the top 20 across major international rankings.”
The ‘Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation Scholarship in the Humanities’ will be awarded to outstanding students who have completed their first year of a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in History, Philosophy, Art History, Classics, Ancient World Studies or English and Theatre studies. Consideration will be given to those also studying a cognate language.
Scholarship benefits include:
• A $32,000 p.a. stipend for two years of their undergraduate degree
• A $6,500 grant for study abroad
• Attendance at an international summer school
• Participation in a unique interdisciplinary academic enrichment series
• An annual leadership program
• A community service and volunteering program
• An option for additional financial support for an Honours year and/or postgraduate degree (Executive Master of Arts) or Diploma in Languages if all criteria are met.
• Career and life-long learning support
There will be five annual intakes of scholars with five of the 30 scholarships each year awarded to applicants of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, and/or of low socio-economic background. Recipients must also meet all merit-based requirements.
University of Melbourne Interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis AC said the scholarship will provide life-changing options and opportunities for the university’s humanities students.
“This generous donation will make a transformative difference to the lives of our students, and we are deeply grateful to the Ramsay Centre,” Professor Davis said.
“Paul Ramsay’s generosity and vision will have an enormous, ongoing impact in the years ahead on scores of our students. This scholarship will do many things but at its heart it will help them thoughtfully link the past and present, to reflexively apply ideas to real-world problems, and to re-examine ways of doing things for a better future.”
Media contact: Sarah Switzer 0407 816 098/ sarah.switzer@ramsaycentre.org
For more information on the Centre please visit our website www.ramsaycentre.org