New Zealand aid program unveils scholarship opportunity

Manila, Philippines -  New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Reuben Levermore says that the next round of the New Zealand-Asean Scholars (nzas) awards is an opportunity to transfer New Zealand expertise to the Philippines.

“Even though New Zealand is a small country, it is globally recognized in areas such as agriculture, tourism, governance and renewable energy. Through our scholarships program, we seek to match these areas of expertise with the development needs of the Philippines. We hope that Filipino scholarship winners will expand their knowledge and skills in a way which can be applied in the Philippines,” says Ambassador Levermore.

Nzas is a postgraduate scholarship program funded by the New Zealand Government through the New Zealand Aid Programme. Under the nzas awards, eligible Filipino scholars can pursue postgraduate development-related degrees in areas where New Zealand has globally recognized expertise.

Aside from agriculture, other eligible fields of study include tourism, governance, public sector management, trade, development, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, and renewable energy.

The awards are open to eligible candidates from the public, private and civic society sectors. An indicative allocation of 18 scholarships is made available to Filipinos who wish to study in New Zealand for the 2013 academic year. Applications for the 2013 scholarships close on August 10, 2012. Further information, including eligibility criteria and application forms, can be found at the New Zealand Embassy website (www.nzembassy.com/philippines).

Interested applicants may also contact Reina Lino, nzas Programme Administrator of Bato Balani Foundation, Inc., at e-mail address: [email protected] or call (632) 892-5462.