Two Torres Strait Islander scholars have been awarded the Charlie Perkins Chevening Scholarship to study postgraduate degrees at the University of Oxford.
Isobel Loban Yorkston, a Badu, Mabuyag and Boigu Island woman, and Bhosten Savage, a Poruma, Mauar, Erub, Bidjara and Dhunghutti man, will begin their studies later this year.
The pair were formally awarded the scholarship at a ceremony at the British High Commission in Canberra earlier this week.
Ms Loban Yorkston, a social worker based in Magandjin (Brisbane), will pursue a Master of Science in International Health and Tropical Medicine.
She plans to use her experience to improve health outcomes in Torres Strait Islander and Indigenous communities, including through global placements.
Ms Loban Yorkston said the opportunity was about impact, not prestige.
"I want to be a global leader in public health and tropical medicine, with a foundation that always leads back to my community," she said.
"I want to be someone who, when people think about excellence in public health and tropical medicine, especially in the Torres Strait, they think of Isobel Loban Yorkston.
"For me, success is when a community member stops me in the street and says, 'Bub, thank you. My son's doing much better now because of the health plan you helped us create.'"
Mr Savage, a project engineer also based in Brisbane, will study an MBA, with a goal to lead infrastructure projects that improve regional and remote connectivity across Australia.
Wiradjuri woman and Aurora CEO Leila Smith said the program was created to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were represented at the world's top universities.
"Fifteen years ago, no First Nations Australians had studied at Oxford or Cambridge," she said.
"Today, nearly 50 have. Isobel and Bhosten are now the first Torres Strait Islander recipients to study at Oxford, and they carry forward this legacy of excellence and community leadership.
"This is yet another example of what investment in Indigenous potential looks like. It's global qualifications, lived experience, and a deep commitment to driving change back home."
Torres Strait Regional Authority Chairperson George Nona said the scholarships marked a proud milestone for the region.
"This history-making opportunity at the University of Oxford will open the door for more Torres Strait Islanders to achieve academic excellence at a global level," Mr Nona said.
"From our island home to the halls of Oxford, we wish Isobel and Bhosten the very best on their academic journey as they join the world's best scholars - proudly carrying our flag and sharing the unique experiences, culture, knowledge and stories of Zenadth Kes."
Torres Strait Islander scholar Vincent Backhaus previously studied at the University of Cambridge under the same program.
The scholarship is delivered through the Aurora Education Foundation, supported by the UK Government's Chevening Program and the Australian Government via the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
It supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with leadership potential and a commitment to community-led change.
