UC acknowledges scholarship donors
30 September 2011
Since its beginnings over 130 years ago the University of Canterbury has valued the support given by external funders who have offered financial assistance to many of its students. This week sponsors of academic scholarships were acknowledged by the University for their contributions.
Since its beginnings over 130 years ago the University of Canterbury has valued the support given by external funders who have offered financial assistance to many of its students. This week sponsors of academic scholarships were acknowledged by the University for their contributions.
The University showed its appreciation for the sponsors whose donations have helped advance UC’s development and reputation at a special “thank-you” event held at NZi3. Scholarship recipients also showed their gratitude for the recognition shown to their academic achievements and for the funds provided to assist them.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Rod Carr thanked sponsors and re-iterated the importance of private funding.
“We certainly appreciate those who are able to help us. We are after all here to create a learning environment where research can inform our teaching. We have over the last three decades become increasingly dependent on middle class taxpayers to fund our research and teaching endeavour. My view is that role models provided by those who give generously are good role models for the University and the future.”
Dr Carr said that although universities are dependent on central government funding and our reputation is determined by our research, the focus of the university should always be on the students.
“Our focus is and should always be on the students and graduates of the University – what they learn and what that knowledge enables them to contribute. As the Government balances competing demands on it, Universities are being encouraged to seek more fee paying international students, philanthropic support and revenue from commercialisation to pay for its teaching and research. Commercialisation as a source of resources is something that does not come easily to the University which is set up to create and disseminate knowledge through teaching and publication rather than through the capture and commercialisation of ideas through patents and copyright.”
The external funders, most of whom are UC alumni, also showed their gratitude to the university. UC law graduate Mr Andrew Oh from Malaysia spoke on behalf the Malaysian Alumni Scholarship, a fund set up by alumni in Malaysia that helps students from Malaysia to study at University of Canterbury.
Mr Oh said the alumni were “all grateful to have come to this university. All of them have given for the same reason, an opportunity to repay. They want to give other Malaysians opportunities they haven’t been able to get if it wasn’t for this scholarship.”
Students who received scholarships also expressed their gratitude. Undergraduate Olivia Rowley was given the Riccarton Rotary Youth Trust Scholarship, a fund that supports students who face financial/personal challenges that would prevent them from considering entry to tertiary education.
“I wasn’t sure how I was going to get there, what I was going to study when I got there but I was going to get there,” she said.
For more information please contact:
comms@canterbury.ac.nz.
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