New Zealand (Commonwealth Union)_ According to the latest announcement, more than 100 New Zealand students have been granted scholarships to pursue their higher studies in Latin America and Asia. The 111 recipients of the Prime Minister’s Scholarship will go to either Asia or Latin America on the PMSA or PMSLA, respectively.
According to Grant McPherson, chief executive officer of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao, “The merit of our scholarship applicants continues to be impressive – we are proud to offer this opportunity for people to develop their intercultural skills, build networks and enjoy experiences abroad”. He added: “We know they will make us proud to have them representing New Zealand in this important time of rebuilding and reconnecting with overseas partners.”
The initiative comes on the heels of the July announcement that the Prime Minister’s Scholarships project had resumed and that the first batch of scholarships had been granted to groups traveling to countries in Asia and Latin America, such as Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Mexico. Keri Ramirez, an advocate for international education and the managing director of Studymove, expressed his delight over the scholarship news on Twitter, calling it a great effort by New Zealand’s education agency.
In this second round, 111 beneficiaries will spend a minimum of four weeks and six weeks in Latin America and Asia, respectively, with some courses extending up to two years. The scholarships feature a range of sessions, including internships in business, languages, indigenous rights, and sustainable development, along with study and research programs in the recipients’ destination countries. The total value of the scholarships is $1.5 million. The major success of this round of scholarship awardees was the increased engagement of the Mori community.
In 2016-2019, on average, 5% for PMSA and 8% for PMSLA were provided. However, in the current round, those averages climbed by 17% for PMSA and 9% for PMSLA, indicating that Mori students comprised over a quarter of PMSA awardees. Though nations across Latin America and Asia are included in the destination lists, Chile and Colombia were the most popular locations in Latin America, whilst Japan and South Korea were the most popular places in Asia.
