Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Julie Bishop MP, recently launched the Cook Islands' participation in the New Colombo Plan.

During the first visit to the Cook Islands by an Australian Foreign Minister, Ms Bishop announced that 20 Australian undergraduate students from the University of Melbourne School Of Contemporary Music would pursue their studies at the University of the South Pacific (USP) under an NCP mobility grant.

As part of their studies, the NCP participants will work with USP students to create a series of unique musical compositions to reflect their experiences living and studying together in Rarotonga, the most populous of the Cook Islands. The compositions will be performed publicly towards the end of the students' studies.

The Cook Islands joined the New Colombo Plan in 2015 as the program expanded to offer Australian undergraduate students opportunities to live, study and undertake work placements across 38 host locations in the Indo-Pacific.

The New Colombo Plan is a signature initiative of the Australian Government which aims to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to live, study and undertake work placements in the region.

The NCP complements inbound programs, such as the Australia Awards, to create a genuine two-way flow of students between Australia and the region.

More information on the New Colombo Plan.