Cranfield School of Management, through a partnership with the Hui Taumata Trust, is offering a new scholarship for New Zealand Māori. Up to two scholarships will be awarded annually to outstanding New Zealand Māori to study Cranfield’s prestigious one-year, Full-time MBA (Master of Business Administration) programme.

The Cranfield scholarship of £14,000 (approximately NZ$40,000) covers half the tuition fees. The Hui Taumata Trust is committed to assisting accepted students to find the remaining costs. The scholarship is open to anyone of New Zealand Māori origin (New Zealand citizen or permanent resident) who is committed to empowering Māori economic development and who intends to return to work in New Zealand within a reasonable time after completion of the MBA.

Director of Cranfield’s one-year full-time MBA programme, Séan Rickard said: “The Māori scholarship builds upon the strong relationship that has developed over forty years between Cranfield and New Zealand. The Cranfield MBA is distinguished among business schools worldwide by its emphasis on personal development, practical application and the experience and age of its students. This Scholarship will not only reinforce the international diversity of our MBA students - there are currently 33 different nationalities on the programme – but also enrich the learning experience for students and faculty.”

Sir Paul Reeves, the Chair of the Hui Taumata Trust Board, believes that: “The MBA scholarship and our partnership with Cranfield School of Management offers Māori a great opportunity to gain skills, knowledge, and networks from a prestigious school. This enriching experience can then be applied at all levels across hapu, iwi, entrepreneurship and business, leadership and governance. This will benefit Māori economic development – and New Zealand’s.”

To find out more about the Hui Taumata Trust-Cranfield MBA scholarship, visit www.cranfieldmba.info/finance. The deadline to submit applications to Cranfield for the 2009 scholarship is 31 May. Short-listed applicants will be interviewed in New Zealand or the UK by a selection panel consisting of representatives from the School and the Trust.

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Notes to editors

Cranfield School of Management is one of Europe’s leading university management schools renowned for its strong links with industry and business.  It is committed to providing practical management solutions through a range of activities including postgraduate degree programmes, management development, research and consultancy. www.som.cranfield.ac.uk

For more information about the Cranfield MBA or to arrange an interview please contact: Emily Orton, Press Office, Cranfield School of Management on:  T: +44 (0) 1234 754348 or E: emily.orton@cranfield.ac.uk

The Hui Taumata Trust has a history spanning over 20 years. It is a unique and highly successful partnership of Māori leadership, business, unions and government. The Trust’s vision is to expand Māori economic pathways to create, grow and succeed into the future. For more information about the Hui Taumata charitable trust in New Zealand, please see www.huitaumata.com or contact +64 (0)4 974 4366 or email info@huitaumata.com.