Educationists Approve Of Commonwealth Scholarships

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28939, 6 July 1959, Page 10

Educationists Approve Of Commonwealth Scholarships

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, July 5.

The Commonweafth t university scholarship scheme, soon to be discussed at a conference at Oxford between delegations from all countries of the Commonwealth, is believed by New Zealand educationists to be vastly superior in scope and potential to anything of a similar nature proposed before.

Some educationists who have been informed of the intentions of the scheme say it indicates the surest means by which the Commonwealth can exist with full efficiency in its present form. The plan is for 1000 scholarships to be made available at all participating universities, so that students can travel to any part of the Commonwealth to carry out university and post-graduate work on particular problems. Of the 1000 scholarships to be offered, the United Kingdom university authorities, it is understood. are prepared to guarantee ,500. The others will be divided between the universities of Canada, Australia, New Zealand. South Africa, India, Pakistan, and a dozen other members of the Commonwealth.

The cost of the scheme is understood to be in excess of £lO million, to be spread between the participating countries. Governments would be called upon to provide money for a central fellowship trust, and their universities would have to be prepared to take a certain number of scholars from other Commonwealth countries. The scheme would have a fiveyear currency in its initial form, and it is understood that New Zealand’s annual contribution would be between £40,000 and £50.000 a year. “It -is a grand thing that the initiative has been taken by the United Kingdom,” said a prominent educationist today. “The offer to provide half the scholarships is a very handsome one, and shows that the leadership is still in the same place. It is important to note,, however, the reorientation which has occurred since the days of Sir Cecil Rhodes. “There are problems for this country, for instance, which might better be solved by study and research courses in India, Pakistan or Canada than in the United Kingdom. It is probable that many of our scholars will still go to the United Kingdom—but

the way has been opened for them to go elsewhere if the problem demands it.” It is understood that the New Zealand deputation to the Oxford conference, which is led by the Director of Education (Dr. C. E. Beeby) was carefully briefed before its departure, and that the New Zealand Government is prepared to back the proposals in their present form. A great deal of detailed planning will have to be done, however, before the proposal is in its final shape.