South West Health Nurse Educator Sheldon Omwamba is helping shape the future of nursing and aged care after completing the Australian College of Nursing’s Nurse Director Leadership Program as a Vivian Bullwinkel Scholar. The experience strengthened his leadership capabilities, expanded his strategic thinking, and reinforced his commitment to supporting workforce development, aged care excellence, and the next generation of nurses across the South West.
Continue readingThe Journey of Vivian Bullwinkel Study Tour Scholarship 2027 – South East Asia
In 2027, from 6 to 19 February, the ACN Foundation is funding two study travel scholarships, each valued at $5,000* per person, to support participation in the Bullwinkel History Study Tour – Indonesia.
The tour will conclude on Bangka Island on Friday, 19 February, with participants departing to the airport for onward connections.
History, nursing and culture intertwine throughout this significant journey to South East Asia, commemorating the 85th anniversary of the Bangka Island massacre and honouring the legacy of Vivian Bullwinkel and the Australian Army nurses who served with courage and sacrifice during the Second World War.
Through visiting places of historical and cultural significance, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of the Bangka Island nurses, the extraordinary resilience of Vivian Bullwinkel, and the enduring legacy of Australian Army nursing. The journey provides an opportunity to reflect on the values of leadership, service, courage and remembrance, while honouring those who lost their lives and those whose stories continue to inspire generations of nurses.
The approximate cost of the tour is:
- AUD $5,860 per person when sharing a room
- AUD $7,224 per person for a single room
Applications open and will close 11:59pm AEST Sunday, 13 September 2026.
Value of scholarship
*The scholarship is valued at $5,000 per person. Any costs above this amount, including the additional cost of a shared room or single room, international flights, airport transfers, travel insurance, visas, meals not included in the itinerary and other personal expenses, are the responsibility of the scholarship recipient.
The tour cost includes:
- 13 nights’ accommodation in 4-star hotels, and in more remote areas, the best accommodation available
- The services of tour leader Jo Grey and ACN President Group Captain Kath Stein
- The services of local English-speaking national guides throughout
- Comprehensive briefing notes
- A full program of tours and specialist visits as per the itinerary
- Breakfast daily and other meals as indicated on the itinerary
- All transport during the tour, including flights from Singapore to Jakarta and Jakarta to Bangka Island
- Admission fees, tips and taxes
The tour cost excludes:
- International flights and transfers on arrival and departure
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- Drinks with meals
- Optional excursions, tours and visits
- Personal extras such as porterage, laundry and inoculation fees
- Travel insurance and visas
For more information on the tour, please visit the Jon Baines Tours website.
Proposed itinerary
A proposed schedule outlining the planned activities, sessions, and timings. Please note that details are subject to change.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a current Fellow or Member of ACN and have held membership for the last three consecutive years.
- Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia
- Be able to undertake the tour from 6 to 19 February 2027.
- Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received an ACN Study Tour Scholarship.
Applicants will be asked to provide two professional references. The ACN selection committee may contact these referees as part of the assessment process for the scholarship.
Documents required
- Current Passport Copy
- Current CV (detailing professional achievements in a clinical, education, leadership, or academic setting within the past two years)
- Current AHPRA nurse registration
- A letter from your employer confirming their support to attend the program
Selection criteria
The scholarships will be awarded to the applicants who can best demonstrate how this study tour will meet one or more of the following objectives:
- How will participating in the Vivian Bullwinkel History Study Tour support your current clinical practice, professional capacity and capability, and/or nurse leadership development?
- What do you hope to achieve through the study tour, and how will you maximise the opportunity to achieve these outcomes?
- Describe your plan for applying and sharing the knowledge and insights gained from the study tour within your workplace, professional networks and/or the broader
Applicants need to be able to demonstrate in their responses to the selection questions:
a) an ability to maximise the opportunity of the activity
b) capacity to share knowledge within their own networks and the broader nursing environment
Applications
Applications open and will close 11:59pm AEST Sunday, 13 September 2026.
Inaugural Cynthea Wellings Scholar named to advance nursing leadership in digital health
Joint media release from Australian College of Nursing Foundation, Australian Catholic University, Ausmed, Monash Health
The Australian College of Nursing Foundation is pleased to name Lien Johns as the inaugural recipient of the Cynthea Wellings PhD Scholarship – Advancing nursing research and building Australia’s digital health capabilities, announced today at the ACN National Nursing Forum in Melbourne.
The scholarship is designed to advance nursing leadership in digital health and drive innovation in electronic health records.
Lien will commence her PhD in the coming weeks, becoming the first scholar supported under the program launched earlier this year in partnership with Australian Catholic University (ACU), Ausmed and Monash Health.
ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kathryn Zeitz FACN congratulated Lien Johns on being named the inaugural Cynthea Wellings Scholar, describing the appointment as an important step in growing nursing leadership in digital health.
“Nursing leadership is integral to the success of digital health,” Adjunct Professor Zeitz said.
She said nurses must be key drivers of the effective implementation of digital health technologies to enhance patient safety and promote the use of data to improve care quality and efficiency.
“By fully embracing digital health and informatics, we’re ensuring that patients and the health system will benefit from nurses’ expertise in healthcare innovation and their deep understanding of the realities and needs of healthcare delivery.”
Lien is a Registered Nurse with extensive experience in education and intensive care. She is committed to undertaking research in digitally enabled care, and empowering nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team to provide effective patient care.
“In Lien, we have a scholar who embodies exactly what this program was created to support – a nurse ready to lead research that will shape the future of care,” said Adjunct Professor Zeitz.
The $90,000 top-up scholarship, delivered over three years, is sponsored by leading healthcare education provider Ausmed, with ACU contributing $233,000 to the program.
Lien’s supervisory team comprises Professor Phil Parker, Professor Jo Coldwell-Neilson, Professor Stephen Guinea and Dr Brandon Cheong. Their combined expertise across digital health, computer science and nursing will provide exceptional support throughout her PhD.
Her research will focus on informatics and digital health.
Professor Guinea, Associate Dean of Learning, Teaching and Professional Experience at ACU’s Faculty of Health Sciences, led the working group responsible for establishing the scholarship.
About the partners
The ACN Foundation is the charitable arm of the Australian College of Nursing, dedicated to supporting nursing education, research, and professional development initiatives that advance the nursing profession and improve healthcare outcomes for all Australians.
ACU’s Faculty of Health Sciences is recognised for its excellence in nursing and midwifery education and research.
Monash Health exists to reimagine care, so that people can live their best lives. We provide safe and equitable care, for every stage of life, delivered with world-leading expertise and over 175 years of experience. As a leading academic health service, we’re committed to providing tomorrow’s care today by integrating research, teaching, and training into everyday practice. Monash Health has not contributed to the funding of this scholarship.
Together, Monash Health, Australian Catholic University and the Australian College of Nursing collaborate as the Australian International Council of Nurses-Accredited Research and Development Centre for International Classification for Nursing Practice. Its aim is to advance nursing and midwifery education, shape nursing policy, and drive innovation in digital health, particularly in electronic health records. The Centre’s main objectives are to use the International Classification for Nursing Practice to support care delivery, research, and evaluation, with the aim of improving the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services.
Ausmed helps healthcare professionals and organisations build capability. Beyond training and compliance, we support career growth, skill development, and resilience. By uniting learning, competency management, policies, and performance in one system, Ausmed empowers individuals and strengthens organisations for the future of care.