First Nations Governance Scholarship Program

The First Nations Governance Scholarship Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Victoria to strengthen governance capability and leadership across the Victorian health system.

The program provides scholarships to access the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Company Directors Course, supporting pathways to board and governance roles within Victorian hospital and health services.

This initiative responds directly to the Yoorrook Justice Commission's 2025 recommendations, which call for increased Aboriginal representation, authority and cultural leadership on Victorian health service boards, and for the removal of systemic barriers to participation.

Purpose and scope

The purpose of the First Nations Governance Scholarship Program is to:

• increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on Victorian hospital and health service boards
• strengthen the governance capability and leadership pipeline of First Nations people across the Victorian health system
• embed First Nations cultural knowledge, experience and leadership into health governance and decision making
• remove systemic barriers to governance qualifications and support culturally safe pathways to board leadership
• respond to the Yoorrook Justice Commission recommendations calling for greater First People’s representation, mandatory cultural safety and structural reform across health governance.

The program is funded by the Victorian Department of Health and delivers up to 10 scholarships each financial year from 2025–26 to 2027–28.

What the scholarship covers

Each scholarship provides:

• full course fees for the 5 day AICD Company Directors Course
• support for travel and accommodation for recipients from regional, rural and remote Victoria, subject to need and location.

Note that scholarship funds are paid directly by the Department of Health to AICD. Funds are not paid directly to recipients.

Successful applicants have up to 6 months from the date of selection to enrol in an approved AICD course.