Commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori Health

OCANZ Bursaries

2025 OCANZ Bursary Awards – now closed

The Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ) 2025 Bursary Awards are now closed for applications. All applicants will be advised of the outcome by the end of March.  If you have any questions about the applications or assessment process, please contact projectofficer@ocanz.org.

OCANZ Past Bursary Recipients

2022 OCANZ has funded bursaries for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and/or Māori community members, students and/or academics who are working with one or more optometry schools in Australian or Aotearoa to improve the delivery of culturally safe curriculum and / or eye care.  Each bursary contributes to the costs of attending a professional development event or other learning related activity. 

In 2023 OCANZ funded three bursary awards to individuals who are working to improve eye health outcomes for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islanders and Māori Peoples.  Listen below to hear their stories.  

In 2024 OCANZ were pleased to award three OCANZ Bursaries.  Recipients include Georgia Stewart (University of New South Wales), Josh Manning (University of Auckland) and Renata Watene (University of Auckland).

Jesse Aldridge - Wandiwondian Yuin man of the South Coast of NSW

Optometry student

University of New South Wales

Bursary Event: Attendance at O=MEGA23

Professor Nicola Anstice - Ngā Puhi

Professor of Optometry

Flinders University

Bursary Award: Research Project

How optometry schools in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand acknowledge and implement cultural safety principles, procedures, and practices within their curricula.

Dr. Philip Turnbull - Ngāi Tahu

Senior Lecturer, School of Optometry and Vision Science

University of Auckland

Bursary Event: Presentation at 4th Word Conference of Optometry / O=MEGA23