Hon Pete Hodgson
Minister for Tertiary Education
Hon Chris Carter
Minister for Education
31 July 2008
Embargoed till 5.45pm Media Release
New Zealand and Chile sign education Arrangement
Up to 300 tertiary students a year from Chile may study in New Zealand under an Arrangement signing today attended by
Tertiary Education Pete Hodgson, Education Minister Chris Carter and Chilean Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley.
“The Chile-New Zealand Arrangement on Human Capital Development Scholarships is only the beginning of a programme that
will bring Chilean and New Zealand students, researchers and institutions much closer,” said Pete Hodgson.
The agreement is part of Chile’s US$6 billion Bicentennial Fund for Human Capital Development under which 300
scholarships per year will be offered by the Chilean government for students from Chile to study at a range of New
Zealand universities, institutes of technology, polytechnics and private training establishments.
New Zealand is among the first five countries to be included in the arrangement, along with Australia, Canada, Great
Britain and the US.
The purpose of the Arrangement is to provide the framework to strengthen human capital development and improve the scope
and quality for education through access for scholarship students to vocational and technical training, graduate,
doctoral and post doctoral education, language courses and teacher education studies.
“Chile is the strongest education relationship New Zealand has in Latin America. The links between our two countries go
back to the 19th Century and include trade and a shared Polynesian heritage with Māori and the people of Rapa Nui
(Easter Island),” said Chris Carter.
“The agreement signed today demonstrates the strength of our education and research ties and sets the platform to take
our relationship into the 21st Century.”
Under the Arrangement the Chilean government will also facilitate visas and permits for New Zealand students,
researchers, teacher and dependants for entry into Chile and provide guidance to New Zealand students for their
enrolment in tertiary institutions in Chile.
ENDS