CDHB Launches New University Master’s Scholarships

MEDIA RELEASE DATE: 23 September, 2008

CDHB Launches New University Master’s Scholarships Programme

The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB), in conjunction with the University of Canterbury, is today launching a new initiative that will see it funding several health related Master’s research projects.

The scholarships, which will cover tuition fees and living and research-related costs, will be available for the next academic year, which begins in February 2009. Applications for the scholarships close on Wednesday, 15 October.

Under the new initiative, Canterbury University students will be given the opportunity to undertake research opportunities in a health environment. The findings of the research projects are in turn expected to help the CDHB to make improvements to its day-to-day business.

Initially, scholarships will be offered in eight areas that the CDHB has identified will benefit from further research. They cover a range of topics including the effectiveness of internal communications and investigating different forecasting techniques for predicting daily patient demand. Students will be supervised by university staff and sponsored by a CDHB manager.

CDHB Senior Business Manager Judith Sugden said she was delighted the CDHB would be able to develop a closer relationship with the University of Canterbury through the new initiative. The CDHB already has close links with the University of Otago through its medical school. “This collaboration will be of mutual benefit to both organisations because students will have the opportunity to undertake health research in a real world environment. In turn, the research will have the potential to help us improve ways of working at the CDHB.”

University of Canterbury Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Town said: “Our students will have the opportunity to work on real-world health issues; the CDHB will have access to our world-class researchers; and the university will increase its contribution to the advancement of health services. Canterbury University is recognised nationally as a leading provider in a number of allied health fields. This agreement will allow us to build on these strengths.”

ENDS

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