20 July 2016 at 9:00 am
Prime Minister’s Scholarships extended to Latin America
The Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme for international study will be extended to Latin America, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce announced this week.
The scholarships will mean more young Kiwis are exposed to Latin American countries and cultures, and this will strengthen New Zealand’s ability to engage with key Latin American trading partners in the future.
The Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Latin America (PMSLA) will complement the successful Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia initiative. Under that programme 751 scholarships for Kiwi students to study in Asia have been awarded since it was implemented in 2013.
The expanded scholarships programme will strengthen international linkages with an area of the world which is becoming increasingly important for New Zealand trade and business. Latin American and Asian destinations are all just one direct flight away, making them more accessible and easier to work with.
The scholarships are part of the $761.4 million ‘Innovative New Zealand’ budget package, $43.5 million of that is to develop stronger international connections for tertiary students. This includes the introduction of the PMSLA, the expansion of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and the introduction of three Centres of Asia Pacific Excellence at universities.
Nominations for the first round of the PMSLA will open on 1 September 2016 and will be awarded in November 2016. The scholarships will be administered by Education New Zealand. More information about the scholarships can be found here.
