4 May 2005

Budget 2005: $2.7m to double Fulbrights

$2.7 million will be invested to double the number of Fulbright Scholarships available to young New Zealanders for post-graduate study in the United States, Research, Science and Technology Minister Steve Maharey announced today.

The funding increase – over four years – will create new scholarships in areas that are important to New Zealand’s economic growth, such as information technology, the creative industries and biotechnology. From next year, 10 extra Fulbright awards will be available.

"The experience Fulbright scholars get while studying and researching overseas pays dividends for New Zealand on their return home,” Steve Maharey said.

"With this investment we're making sure our best and brightest get an opportunity to gain knowledge that will further their careers and contribute to New Zealand's economy and society."

Since the New Zealand programme was established in 1948, 1,100 New Zealanders have travelled to the US on a Fulbright Scholarship. In return, 1,000 Americans have come to New Zealand for post-graduate study.

Notable New Zealand Fulbright Scholars include Nobel Prize winner Alan MacDiarmid, former Prime Minister Bill Rowling, writers Bill Manhire, Joan Druett and Michael King and Communications Minister David Cunliffe.

Chair of Fulbright New Zealand, Suzanne Snively – who is a former scholar – says the boost to the number of available scholarships is “fantastic news”.

“Each year we receive applications from at least eighty young New Zealanders and each year we are forced to turn away some of New Zealand’s most qualified and talented young people because we have simply not had enough awards available,” she says.

“Being able to offer these extra scholarships will make a significant difference.”

Background

The New Zealand Fulbright programme is jointly funded by the New Zealand and United States governments as well as through partnership with private sector organisations.

The Fulbright programme was established in 1946 on the initiative of US Senator J William Fulbright. He believed such a programme could play an important role in building world peace in the aftermath of World War 2.

The New Zealand programme began in 1948, and since then more than 1,100 New Zealanders have travelled to the United States to further their studies.

In turn, 1,000 Americans have come to New Zealand on Fulbright Awards.

Notable New Zealand Fulbright scholars include:

former Prime Minister and Ambassador Sir Wallace (Bill) Rowling Nobel prize-winning scientist Alan Mac Diarmid writers Bill Manhire, Joan Druett and Michael King educationalists Dame Marie Clay and Anne Meade historian Jamie Belich composer Gareth Farr anthropologist Dame Anne Salmond dancer Sir Jon Trimmer opera singers Iosefa Enari and Simon O'Neill playwright Roger Hall Maori studies scholar Wiremu Kaa Communications Minister David Cunliffe Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson Supreme Court Justice Sir Kenneth Keith and High Court Justice David Baragwanath.

ENDS

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