NZ welcomes Chilean scholarship students

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today welcomed the arrival of 96 top-performing students from Chile to study in New Zealand.

The students, known as ‘Penguins’ due to their distinctive black and white uniforms, will visit New Zealand to expand their international outlook as part of the Chilean Government’s secondary school scholarship scheme ‘Penguins Without Borders’. They will be hosted by 47 schools around the country for two terms.

This is the third group of scholarship students to come to New Zealand, after a successful pilot was extended to up to 100 students during the Prime Minister’s trade mission to Chile in 2013.

“The Penguins Without Borders scheme has enabled some of Chile’s best and brightest students to experience New Zealand’s world-class education system and the hospitality of our welcoming homestay families,” Mr Joyce says.

“The expansion of the programme during the pilot is testament to our strong relationship with Chile and the great experiences past international students have had in New Zealand.”

“International students are vital to New Zealand, both in terms of the economic contribution they make while they are studying in our country and as ambassadors for New Zealand when they return home.”

In response to this successful scheme, New Zealand sent seven 15 and 16 year-old ‘Flying Kiwis’ to Santiago last year allowing Kiwi students to see and experience life in Chile, and develop their Spanish language skills.

“I am delighted to welcome this next cohort of Chilean students to New Zealand and I wish them the best for their time here,” Mr Joyce says.

ENDS

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