November 9 1999

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hon Maurice Williamson
Minister for Research, Science and Technology

Hon Max Bradford
Minister for Tertiary Education

BRIGHT FUTURE SCHOLARSHIPS OPEN

Applications for the Bright Future scholarships have opened, Research, Science and Technology Minister Maurice Williamson and Tertiary Education Minister Max Bradford said today.

"For the 2000 academic year about $4 million worth of Bright Future scholarships will be available. By the time they are fully implemented in 2004 over $30 million a year in scholarships will be available", the Ministers said.

The scholarships come in three categories:

­ Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarships; ­ Enterprise Scholarships and ­ Enterprise Skills/Technologies Scholarships.

"Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarships will be awarded annually to assist top PhD students to get the best education the world can provide. The scheme provides students with an annual stipend of NZ$21,641 plus funding for course fees and costs for conference attendance. This makes the scheme one of the most generous available in New Zealand.

"Top Achiever students can undertake their studies at a university of their choice anywhere in the world. At the end of their studies students studying overseas will be bonded to return to New Zealand for a period equivalent to that spent studying overseas, so we get the benefit of their new skills," the Ministers said.

"Enterprise Scholarships are open to students who are, in most cases, doing postgraduate level study. Tertiary institutions enter partnerships with enterprises, on the basis that support is provided to students who are undertaking study in areas relevant to enterprises. Scholarship funding matches that provided by the enterprise. If, for example, an enterprise wished to provide $10,000 a year to support the student, the Government would match that contribution.

"Enterprise Skills/Technologies Scholarships are run along the same lines, but with an emphasis on supporting students who are developing technological skills in areas that enterprises have identified as important. For example, an enterprise could apply for matched funding to send an employee or student overseas to study the application of a new technology and to return to help the firm implement it.

"We believe this partnership is becoming increasingly important as we move to a knowledge-based economy and skills required by businesses continue to change," the Ministers said.

"The scholarships are open to all disciplines, but they are well suited to science and technology because they link education and enterprise together, and these are key skills needed by enterprises in the knowledge age.

"The joint funding means students are not the only ones to benefit. Education gets greater access to the resources and energy of enterprise, while enterprise gets the benefit of a wider pool of highly qualified graduates who are attuned to the needs of enterprise and studying in areas relevant to industry."

Application forms can be downloaded from www.frst.govt.nz or requested from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology - phone 04 498 7809.

Applications for the year 2000 round will remain open until December 20.

ENDS

© Scoop Media