Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith has today named the first students to receive a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Latin America (PMSLA).

Thirty seven top students from across New Zealand have been chosen for the first round of 2016/17 scholarships, with a total value of $250,000.

“The new scholarships aim to introduce more young New Zealanders to Latin American countries and cultures, as well as build connections that will benefit New Zealand into the future.

“Latin America is becoming increasingly important to our nation from a trade and enterprise perspective. International education experiences help young Kiwis develop cultural awareness, understanding and skills that enhance our country’s ability to work in this part of the world,” says Mr Goldsmith.

The twelve individual scholarships go to students undertaking a range of programmes, including an exchange to Universidad EAFIT in Medellín, Colombia, and a study-abroad semester at the Universidad Austral de Chile in Chile.

Two groups have also been awarded scholarships. Twelve students from Massey University will to travel to Colombia for a month-long programme, Latino Aotearoa: Spreading the Word Across the Pacific. Thirteen students from the University of Auckland will travel to Brazil to carry out a month-long Brazilian Visual Cultures - LATINAM202 programme.

The PMSLA programme is modelled on the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia, which has supported 907 New Zealand students with study, research or internships in Asian countries since its introduction in 2013.

The programme is funded as part of the $761.4 million ‘Innovative New Zealand’ 2016 Budget package.

Applications for round two of PMSLA opened mid-December 2016 and close 30 April 2017. Another $250,000 will be allocated to students in this second round.

Further information, including the names of the scholarship recipients, is available on the Education New Zealand website.