Scholarships are often seen as an important soft power tool of statecraft. But while the developmental benefits of scholarships are clear, less well-understood is whether, and how, they improve Australia and other partners' relationships with Pacific states and people. Does giving a Pacific student a scholarship improve that person's perception of Australia?

In this policy paper, the authors discuss their experience of their scholarships and studies in Australia, how holding an Australian scholarship has shaped their opinion of Australia, and what they plan to go on and do after their studies.