The Australia-Colombia Business Council (ACBC) proudly announces the official launch of the Marianna Boza Scholarship 2025, a life-changing initiative celebrating the legacy of Marianna Boza Morón—a pioneering Colombian lawyer, sustainability advocate, and tireless champion of gender equity in the mining sector.
A Powerful Morning at Fenalcarbón
The scholarship was officially unveiled during an impactful event on June 3rd, 2025, hosted at Fenalcarbón headquarters in Bogotá. The morning brought together leaders from across the mining and education sectors to honour Marianna’s legacy and formally open applications for this opportunity.
We were honoured to welcome Her Excellency Ambassador Anna Chrisp, the Australian Ambassador to Colombia, alongside high-level speakers including General (r) Alberto Mejía, Carlos Felipe Barrera, Jes Schroeder, Martin Briggs, Felipe Moreno, and Natalia Piedrahita, each highlighting the shared importance of sustainability, international collaboration, and women’s leadership in shaping the future of mining.
‘This scholarship is not an end in itself. It is a means to drive sectoral transformation, create more inclusive spaces for decision-making, and promote women’s leadership, everything in a way I hope would have made Marianna very proud.
From the Australian Embassy, together with our strategic allies in the private sector and academia, we firmly believe that knowledge exchange is a powerful tool for development, and that there is no better bridge than education to connect our two nations, our values and our shared vision of a modern, safe, and inclusive mining industry.’— Her Excellency Anna Chrisp, Australian Ambassador to Colombia
Ambassador Chrisp also underscored the historic significance of this launch, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Colombia, a milestone symbolising five decades of shared values, cooperation, and mutual respect. The scholarship embodies the next chapter of this bilateral relationship, one grounded in education, sustainability, and opportunity.
One of the morning’s most emotional moments came from General (r) Alberto Mejía, who shared heartfelt reflections on Marianna’s life and contributions, reminding all present of her lasting influence on Colombia’s legal and mining sectors.
We extend a heartfelt thanks to Carlos Andres Cante Puentes and Natalia Guzmán and the team at Fenalcarbón for their incredible support and for hosting the launch in a space that reflects the values of transformation and inclusivity that Marianna herself embodied.in a space that reflects the values of transformation and inclusivity that Marianna herself embodied.
About the Scholarship
The Marianna Boza Legacy Scholarship is designed to empower Colombian women in mining by providing a fully funded three-month professional development experience in Melbourne, Australia, valued at approximately COP 80 million (AUD $30,000).
Delivered by Holmesglen Institute and the Victorian Tunnelling Centre, the program includes world-class training in:
- Occupational health and safety
- Tunnelling and infrastructure
- Sustainable mining practices
- Leadership and innovation
Participants will gain hands-on, high-tech experience using simulation labs, mixed reality environments, and industry visits—all tailored to support Colombia’s path toward responsible mining and global excellence.Candidate Profile
We are looking for:
- Women with at least 2 years of experience in mining or extractive industries
- A passion for responsible mining, sustainability, and gender equity
- Intermediate English proficiency (B1 minimum)
- A valid Colombian passport
- Availability to travel between September and December 2025
Application Details
Applicants must submit:
- A personal statement (max 1,000 words)
- Updated CV
- Proof of English proficiency
- Copy of valid passport
- Colombian police background check
- Two professional references
➡️ Click here for full Terms of Reference
Deadline: Friday, July 18th, 2025 – 5:00 PM
Help Us Find the Next Marianna Boza Legacy Scholar
The Marianna Boza Legacy Scholarship honors the life and legacy of a brilliant legal mind, passionate advocate, and beloved community leader. Now, we need your help to find the next scholar who will carry forward her spirit and values.
We’re calling on our community—you—to help us reach the perfect candidate: a young, driven Colombian woman pursuing a career in mining.
Here’s how you can help:
- Download the Toolkit with ready-to-use outreach materials
- Share the scholarship opportunity on your social media channels
- Amplify the call for applications within your company or community
Together, we can ensure Marianna’s legacy lives on through a new generation of changemakers.
Download Toolkit:
👉 English version
👉 Versión en Español
With Thanks to Our Partners
This initiative is possible thanks to the generous support of our Principal Sponsors:
And our Supporting Partners:
- Study Melbourne
- Blue Studies International
- The Ideas Factory (TIF)
- Women in Mining Colombia (WIM)
- Fenalcarbón
- Asociación Colombiana de Minería (ACM)
- Embajada de Australia en Colombia
Together, we honour the legacy of Marianna Boza and reaffirm our shared commitment to building a mining sector that is safer, more sustainable, and led by empowered women.
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