R&D Student Grants for our future innovators

Around 330 future Kiwi innovators will be able to benefit from R&D Student Grants announced today by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce.

The Government has this year made more than $4 million worth of R&D Student Grants available through Callaghan Innovation to 154 businesses to hire up to 328 students with science, technology, engineering, design, or business degrees to do R&D-related work experience.

“R&D Student Grants allow students with science, technology, engineering, design, or business qualifications to advance their skills and understanding of commercial R&D within New Zealand companies,” Mr Joyce says.

“The companies also gain by employing smart, ambitious people to advance their R&D projects, so it’s excellent for all involved.”

The R&D Student Grants announced today include 246 R&D Experience Grants and 82 R&D Career Grants.

R&D Experience Grants, formerly known as Undergraduate internships, provide companies with funding for 400 hours of work during the summer student break or on completion of a student’s qualification. Following feedback from students and businesses in previous years, the range of eligible qualifications this year has expanded from undergraduate degrees to include honours and conjoint undergraduate degrees as well as postgraduate diplomas and certificates.

R&D Career Grants, previously known as Postgraduate internships, are intended as an entry into permanent employment for Masters or PhD graduates. Based on an annual salary of $60,000, they provide companies with 50 per cent of annual salary costs up to $30,000 (plus GST) to cover the salary of the postgraduate for the first six months. In previous years, companies were able to apply for just one R&D Career student, however this year they are able to qualify for more depending on their R&D spend and number of R&D staff.

Some of the projects funded this year include developing:

• high value products from fish by-products and fruit waste
• a prototype for improved orthopaedic care and a diagnostic technique for disease progression
• smart phone apps to optimise use of farm equipment
• noise mitigation and suppression for drilling rigs
• software for talent identification and monitoring in sport
• immunostimulatory properties of natural products.

Students interested in taking up these places should contact their university, institute of technology or polytechnic. They can find out more by going to their university’s CareerHub job vacancy system, the University of Waikato’s Cooperative Education Unit or by talking to their tutor.

Details of businesses awarded R&D Experience Grants can be found here https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/what-we-do/funding-and-grants/student/rd-experience;

R&D Career Grants here https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/what-we-do/funding-and-grants/student/rd-careers.

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