Media Release
October 24, 2005
Rhodes scholarship opens the path to China
Read The Advertiser story on Ryan Manuel
It may be October 2006 before UniSA Rhodes Scholar, Ryan Manuel,
heads off to Oxford to commence his three year scholarship study program
in Modern Chinese Studies, but he won’t be resting on his laurels in the
meantime.
With his honours thesis dealing with China-Australia relations in its
final stages, he also has plans to write a book with his supervisor, Dr
Terry O’Callaghan, over the summer holidays and to start on further
research early in 2006 with the Boston Consulting Group.
Manuel won the inaugural Ehrenberg scholarship for marketing in 2001 and
completed his double degree in International Studies and Marketing from
UniSA, winning the University Medal for outstanding academic achievement
in 2004.
With an already deep interest in social justice issues he worked in a
shelter for the homeless for six months before starting his degree and
served the UniSA Students Association as Equity and Welfare Vice
President while studying, a position he says was one of the most
rewarding non-academic aspects of his years at university.
As the first student from UniSA to receive the Rhodes scholarship,
Manuel believes UniSA has been unique in encouraging a very broad
approach to education.
“There is a genuine international perspective in the curriculum and real
encouragement and support for students to experience broader notions of
education beyond the lecture theatre,” Manuel says.
Manuel joined UniSA’s international exchange program and was the first
UniSA student to travel to Chile where he studied international politics
in Spanish alongside students from Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard.
His application for the Rhodes scholarship was supported by his teachers
Dr Cam Rungie, Dr Terry O’Callaghan and the Vice Chancellor Professor
Denise Bradley.
In her recommendation of Ryan Manuel, Professor Bradley said he showed
true leadership qualities.
“Ryan is an extraordinary young man. He has a warm, engaging
personality, an outstanding intellect and generous nature. He reads
widely and understands broad ideas and concepts, well beyond his fields
of specialisation, experience, and his years. Despite his considerable
successes, Ryan remains open, kind, compassionate and humble. I believe
these are the qualities of a natural leader,” Prof Bradley said.
She said Manuel was intellectually, physically and morally capable of
outstanding leadership.
“I am really grateful for the support UniSA has given me,” Manuel says.
“The Rhodes scholarship will allow me to continue my previous research
on China, and to examine the implications of my research for Australian
foreign policy in an environment where I will have access to some of the
world’s greatest thinkers, and at an institution that is probably the
world’s best for my field of research. “It also gives me access to
Chinese policy makers and diplomats and will help me to become fluent in
Mandarin Chinese.
“The scholarship recognises my academic work as being of a very high
calibre and this is an enormous encouragement for me to continue to be
at the forefront of research on what will be one of the most critical
global issue of the next century - the rise of China.
“In the future, I hope that the Rhodes scholarship, and my research,
will put me in a position where I am able to influence and shape
Australian foreign policy.”
Established in 1904, the Rhodes Scholarships provide support for up to
three years of postgraduate study at Oxford.
Media contact
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Michèle Nardelli office (08) 8302 0966 phone mobile 041 8823673 email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au