National MP Aaron Gilmore is delighted that 200 Canterbury University students have taken up the Government’s summer research scholarships.

“This is wonderful news for students at my old university. There wasn’t anything around like this when I was studying, and it’s great that these opportunities exist for today’s Canterbury students.

“It is great that so many students have applied for the $5000 grants that were an initiative from the Prime Minister’s Job Summit earlier in the year,” Mr Gilmore says.

“The idea came out of the Summit, following concerns from universities that there weren’t enough job opportunities for students to boost their finances during the holiday period.

“We set aside $4 million in Budget 2009 to fund this initiative, which will see 1600 university students nationwide undertake study in their chosen academic field, while earning money over the summer months.”

As well as Canterbury University, 50 students from Lincoln University have taken up the scholarships.

“Canterbury and Lincoln universities, which allocated the places, have matched the Government’s investment in the scheme dollar for dollar.

“This kind of partnership is exactly what New Zealand needs to grow our knowledge base for the future.”