Young Planners' Scholarship

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE 2008 SCHOLARSHIP!

The Outdoor Media Association (OMA) and the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) are pleased to announce that applications for the 2008 Young Planners Scholarship are now open.

The scholarship will fund one lucky planning student or recent graduate to travel overseas to a city or cities of their choice and research how outdoor advertising is integrated in these locations. The value of the scholarship is up to $15,000.

The aim of the scholarship is for young planners to learn about how issues concerning the integration of outdoor advertising are managed in international locations (particularly when new technology is involved) and to share this knowledge with their peers back home.

To apply for the young planners scholarship, you must meet the following five essential criteria:

  • 1. Be enrolled in at least the second year of a PIA approved course; or
  • Have recently completed a PIA approved course; or
  • Have less than five (5) years experience in a planning discipline such as Social, Environmental, Economic Planning or Urban Design; and
  • 2. Be less than 35 years of age; and
  • 3. Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident; and
  • 4. Be willing to travel overseas to conduct the research in 2009; and
  • 5. Be willing to present the findings of the research at the 2010 National Planners YP Connect and the PIA's National Congress.

To apply for the Young Planners Scholarship, you will need to complete the Young Planners Scholarship Application Form which can be downloaded from here. You must submit the completed application form by Wednesday 1 October 2008, to the following address:

                             Young Planners Scholarship

                             Planning Institute Australia

                             PO Box 5427

                             KINGSTON  ACT  2604

                             Email: marketing@planning.org.au

If you would like to know more about the scholarship, click here to download a copy of the information brochure, or contact Carolyn Samsa on (02) 8356 9000.

TOWN PLANNER TAKES OUT FIRST $15,000 INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP

Mildura Rural City Council Town Planner, Rachael Attwood, will travel to New York, London, and Kumatori in Japan to study exciting developments in electronic advertising and animated advertising, and make recommendations about how it should be regulated.

Announced by Chief Executive Officer of the Outdoor Media Association (OMA), Helen Willoughby, as part of the World Town Planning Day events from 9.30am today at Adelaide's Stamford Hotel, Rachael is the recipient of the first annual $15,000 overseas travel scholarship, sponsored by the OMA together with the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA).  

Ms Willoughby said that there was a strong interest in the scholarship, which allowed applicants to choose the cities they thought would offer the best outdoor advertising case studies.

"Around the world, outdoor advertising takes on many roles - from traditional posters to animated digital displays, from the subtle to the out there," Ms Willoughby said.

"The scholarship will give Rachael a fantastic opportunity to broaden her horizons and her career options by building on Australia's understanding of how outdoor advertising can contribute to cities and communities.

"New York's famous time square, London's amazing West End and the vibrant shopping precincts around Osaka will provide plenty of exciting outdoor advertising case studies which could very well have applications in Australia.

"This is particularly timely given that several Australian states have recently completed or have underway, reviews which will put new definitions and rules in place to regulate electronic advertising."

The PIA's National President, Sue Holliday, said that Rachael's overseas case studies will add to Australia's knowledge of how electronic advertising should be integrated, managed and regulated.

"Rachael's application focused on the world of animated and electronic outdoor advertising and also on the need to ensure these types of advertising are well regulated - informative and entertaining, but also safe and in placed in appropriate locations," Di Jay, CEO of PIA and member of the jurors panel said.

"The US, Japan and the UK are the leading markets for electronic advertising, so it absolutely makes sense that Rachael travels to those locations to study what types of outdoor are effective in what locations, and what planning rules are in place to manage them."

Rachael will present her findings at the 2009 National Young Planners YPConnect and the PIA National Congress.

For media comment /more info /photos:    Helen Willoughby, CEO, OMA     02 8356 9000