New Zealand scholarships for deserving Sarawakians soon, says Chancellor
Posted on July 14, 2012, Saturday
VISIT MEMENTO: Lai (second left) presenting the latest book on Miri city as a souvenir to Wood, witnessed by (from left) Wong, Rosie, and Graeme.
MIRI: New Zealand’s University of Canterbury (UC) alumni will be providing scholarships for deserving Sarawakians.
The value of the scholarship would be worth NZ$10,000 or about RM25,000 every year for the duration of the course.
“The alumni will provide one scholarship for each city, Kuching, Sibu, and Miri for University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand,” said University of Canterbury chancellor Dr John Wood at a courtesy call on Miri mayor Lawrence Lai yesterday.
Wood who came with his spouse Rosie, stressed on the strengthening of relations between the university and the alumni.
He was pleased with their visits to the three cities especially with their recent stop in Sibu where they raised funds from the alumni there to set the ball rolling for the scholarship fund.
He also expressed the city of Christchurch’s gratitude for support and financial assistance extended by alumni members after the earthquake there.
“We will visit Sarawak every year to keep in touch with alumni members,” he promised.
Alumni manager Graeme Steven estimated there were about 500 to 600 of its alumni members in Sarawak out of the 11,000 or more of its graduates in Malaysia.
The UC Foundation trustee John Wong said that the 150-year-old university already had intake of Malaysian students since the 50s and 60s, and that he was in the 70s batch of students.
Wong welcomed potential scholarship applicants to visit its website at www.canterbury.ac.nz for more information, and the candidates will be short listed from deserving applicants.
Every year, about 3,000 Malaysians study in UC out of 20,000 students and staff on campus in Christchurch.
Meanwhile Lai thanked Wood and his entourage for their visit, and welcomed their participation which will contribute towards the city’s vision of growing its green and environment-friendly industries like tourism and higher education, compared to traditional industries like oil and gas, oil palm, and timber.
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