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