A Bundaberg university student is hoping a trip to the Youth 20 Summit in Jakarta will allow him the opportunity to bring the concerns of Australians to the attention of the world.
Grant Duthie is a Psychology student at CQUniversity Bundaberg where he has received the Global Voices Scholarship which has provided the opportunity for him to travel to the summit.
The Y20 Summit is a forum for future young leaders from all G20 member countries to discuss, argue, and exchange ideas, to reach a joint agreement regarding the agenda of the G20 Presidency.
“Being a part of the scholarship is an opportunity to help shine a light on some of the concerns of Australians in a global forum,” Grant said.
“The Y20 Summit will be a great way of meeting people from around the world and listening to the issues that concern them.
“As part of the Y20 Summit, I will be focusing on the issue of digital financial literacy. This is an important issue as there are many vulnerable communities in Australia and around the world with which this topic is relevant.”
Grant said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had encouraged him to enrol in CQU’s Psychological Science course.
“I’ve always had an interest in human behaviour,” he said.
“After school I went on to study economics, which looks at how humans interact in our society.
“During the pandemic I saw psychology’s role in supporting people through their difficulties and this prompted me to enrol in the course.
“The teaching staff go to a lot of effort in crafting a digital learning experience that is interactive and engaging for online students. I’ve found the lecturers to be very responsive to my questions and motivated to help students succeed.”
Grant said he hoped to study honours in psychology and would be interested in higher research in the field.
“I’ve been amazed at how far-reaching the benefits of studying psychology are in my professional work. It affects the way I engage with different people and analyse everyday issues,” he said.
“I hope to be able to continue to use my psychology studies also in some of the volunteering that I do outside work.”
Global Voices is a youth-led Australian not-for profit committed to developing the next generation of leaders by providing practical experience in policy-making, international relations, and diplomacy.
The Global Voices Scholarship Program consists of three elements: participation in a Canberra Briefings Program, completion of a Policy Fellowship, and attendance at an international delegation.
The program provides participants with a dedicated policy-writing workshop, media engagement training, institutional visits, greater cross-cultural awareness, and significant professional networking opportunities.
As part of the CQUGlobal Outbound program, CQUni sponsors up to two students in semesters 1 and 2 each year to participate in two Global Voices delegations.
The CQUGlobal Outbound program provides opportunities for CQUni students to develop a global outlook and improve employability outcomes as they undertake part of their studies in a different country, or on virtual exchange program.
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