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New Taiwan scholarship fund for Pacific students
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Posted on Mar 14 2001
Pacific Islands students are to benefit from a new scholarship scheme funded by Taiwan/ROC later this year, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding today at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva.
“This scholarship scheme recognizes the important role of education,” said the Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, Mr. Noel Levi, CBE, during the brief ceremony.
Mr. Levi told the head of Taiwan/ROC’s trade office in Fiji, Mr. C.K. Ning, that the scholarship scheme would benefit the region by enhancing its ability to meet the challenges of modern life.
The scholarship scheme currently has US$ 1 million in funding, with Taiwan/ROC pledging ongoing support of US$ 500,000 a year.
The Taiwan/ROC-Pacific Islands Forum Scholarship Scheme was announced during the Taiwan-Forum Island Countries Dialogue in Koror, Palau in 1999 with final preparations for the MOU now completed.
The signing of the MOU paves the way for a meeting of a management committee made up of representatives from Taiwan/ROC, the Forum Secretariat, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission and the University of the South Pacific.
It is expected that the first scholarships will be advertised in mid-2001.
The courses of study eligible include agriculture and land resources, marine studies, environment, education, population studies and demography, tourism, food and nutrition, public management and finance, legislative drafting and legal practice, journalism and foreign diplomatic training.
The scholarship and training awards will be offered to students who are citizens of the 14 Forum Island Countries (Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu).
The distribution of awards will encourage gender equity and cover both short-term training of 1-2 months, and longer-term courses for certificates, diplomas and degrees.
Special consideration will be given to applicants from Smaller Island States and Least Developed Countries.
