New Zealand PM announces scholarships, MoUs with India to boost educational Ties

new delhi: new zealand prime minister on tuesday announced the launch of the new zealand excellence awards (nzea) for the july 2025 intake at an event held at iit delhi. the initiative includes a scholarship fund of nz$260,000 aimed at supporting indian students pursuing higher education in new zealand.several memorandums of understanding (mous) were also signed between new zealand universities and indian institutions to strengthen academic collaborations. the agreements cover research partnerships, student and faculty exchanges, and joint programs across various disciplines.under the nzea 2025, indian students aged 18 and above, holding indian citizenship and residing in india at the time of application, are eligible to apply. candidates must have an unconditional offer from a new zealand university for an eligible course and meet immigration new zealand's visa requirements. the deadline for applications is april 30, 2025.a virtual internship programme was also launched, offering 30 iit delhi students remote internship opportunities with new zealand companies, providing cross-border industry exposure.among the mous, the university of auckland partnered with manipal academy of higher education (mahe) and iit kharagpur. another agreement between the university of auckland and tech mahindra aims to integrate academic expertise into real-world industry applications, focusing on ai, machine learning, and quantum computing.inanother significant development, the university of waikato and bennett university agreed to develop joint programs in law, business, computer science, and engineering, while also launching immersive short courses.additionally, two mous were signed with the national institute of design (nid) and the national institute of fashion technology (nift). whitecliffe college of arts & design will collaborate with nid on joint research and student exchange programs, while a separate agreement with nift includes faculty exchanges and joint workshops.the event also marked the launch of the new zealand centre innovation fellowship, offering a two-week immersive experience within india's innovation ecosystem. the fellowship covers travel, accommodation, and stipends to facilitate professional networking and collaboration.new zealand has become an increasingly preferred destination for indian students, with around 7,300 enrolled as of 2024, according to the ministry of external affairs. affordable tuition fees and post-study work permits contribute to its appeal.speaking at the event, the new zealand prime minister said, "prime minister modi and i discussed the transformative power of education, and we believe it is the key to advancing our societies and economies."last year, immigration new zealand revised the post study work visa (pswv) criteria, allowing students completing a postgraduate diploma (pgdip) of at least 30 weeks to apply for a pswv if they immediately progress to a master's program. to qualify for a three-year pswv, students must complete at least 30 weeks of full-time study in new zealand while enrolled in a master's program.