Students receive scholarships to Latin America

Two students thinking globally receive scholarships to Latin America

Two University of Canterbury students have received Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Latin America in the latest round of scholarships announced yesterday by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith.

University of Canterbury Students’ Association (UCSA) President James Addington will spend three months this summer in Buenos Aires on an internship in a multi-national company, while Stuart Robinson will spend a year in Colombia completing a Master of International Business.

James has completed a Bachelor of Commerce and will complete a Bachelor of Laws at the end of this year, he sees this as a good opportunity to gain global experience straight out of university.

“I wanted to get overseas next year and get some experience, a friend told me about this and I thought it was a good opportunity to take. It’s an opportunity I think students should be taking advantage of.”

James also sees this as an opportunity to explore a place he hasn’t been before and is keen to immerse himself in the local culture, go hiking and hit the ski slopes if he is still there in the winter months.

Stuart knows more about what to expect as he went to Latin America for a couple of weeks when he was 18 to visit a friend who had been in New Zealand on an exchange.

“It is a beautiful place and very relaxed. It’s an exciting place, with lots happening. The people are very pragmatic - a lot like Kiwis – but a lot more passionate than we are,” says Stuart,

Stuart has been studying towards a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics) and says it has been great learning a fast paced area of study.

“UC’s lecturers are fantastic and always happy to talk with you one-on-one. Mechatronics is a quick moving area of study – right on the brink of developments so the teaching is delivering the latest information,” says Stuart.

Stuart spent the first 11 years of his life in England before moving with his family to the Hawkes Bay in New Zealand. He has recently become a New Zealand citizen, but is clearly thinking globally.

“I already have some contacts in Latin America and hope to make more business connections to help support trade between our countries and support the New Zealand and Latin American economies.”

The aim of the scholarship is to strengthen the relationship between New Zealand and Latin America by improving New Zealanders’ international workforce skills through knowledge of Latin America’s business practice and culture, and strengthen our ability to engage in trade agreements with partners in Latin America. The scholarships also aim to promote the quality of New Zealand’s education system.

Scholarships cover flights, living costs and programme fees as well as medical and travel insurance. The scholarship has two application rounds annually.

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