The expanded scholarship scheme is intended to boost the development of leadership skills and provide young Pacific islanders with the advanced education and skills necessary to support their home countries, which have suffered an apparent “brain drain” over recent years, as well-educated young people emigrate.

To combat this, the scheme will involve a combination of full scholarships and student loans; if graduates return to their home countries to put their new-found skills to work, they could see their loans written off.

Commenting on the scheme, Mr. Key said: “An educated and highly-skilled Pacific population is vital to future leadership in the region, and critical for economic and social development.”

“This will boost our education investment to $15 million per year. I believe this is a key building block for the future success of the region.”

“We thought it would be a good way for New Zealand to show its leadership by continuing to open our doors to our tertiary education facilities. An additional 100 is going to be important …”

The funding for the programme is being made available through NZAID, the agency within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade that manages New Zealand’s official development assistance programme and provides policy advice on international development issues. For information on the scholarships, visit the NZAID website here.

Her “letter home” describing her experiences of living and studying in the UK was judged to be the best and the most inspiring by a panel made up of representatives from the British Council, the National Union of Students, the UK Council for International Student Affairs, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, and The Times Higher Education magazine.

The judges’ decision was announced at an awards ceremony in London hosted by Vernon Ellis, the British Council’s new Chair and former International Chairman of Accenture. The winners were handed their awards by TV presenter Konnie Huq at the event attended by all the finalists with representatives of their universities, further and higher education colleges, and schools.

Shine! is the only competition that celebrates international students’ unique contributions to life in Britain, taking into account a wide variety of achievements and activities rather than focussing solely on academic work. Entrants are asked to describe in a letter how their experiences in UK institutions and communities have helped them develop new life skills and influenced their interests and goals, and how they have contributed to life in Britain, and back home.

Melissa’s winning letter tells how, from the beginning of her time at University in the UK, she had a strong desire to both raise awareness of the effects of climate change and support the work of two NGOs operating in Burkina Faso. She began volunteering for Christian Aid and giving talks in churches and schools.

In February 2009 Melissa applied for a grant from the European Union to help two of the NGOs working In Burkina Faso.  Her application was successful on the condition that she raised £20,000 ‘match funding’. After organising many fundraising events and increasing awareness through the local media, she exceeded her target, raising £50,000 in just 10 months.  This incredible achievement meant that the NGOs received over £100,000 to help fund local projects in Burkina Faso.

And Melissa’s tireless work raising awareness of climate change issues led her to be invited to attend the summit in Copenhagen where she had what she called “another unforgettable experience” – meeting president Obama.

Accepting a trophy and £2,000 prize, Melissa said: “I only heard about the awards one hour from the deadline when my friend told me about them and although I was in the middle of my dissertation, I decided to go for it.  I just wrote exactly what I felt and it was rewarding to realise how much I’ve achieved since arriving in the UK.

“For me Shine is a celebration of the cultural diversity of the UK and being a part of the awards has taught me to seize any opportunity that comes your way – you never know how it will turn out!”

Under the programme, dubbed HESPAL (Higher Education Scholarships for Palestine), up to 10 academics each year will be sponsored for a years study in the UK. Universities such as City, Essex, Kings College London, Exeter, Manchester, London School of Economics, Newcastle, School of Oriental and African Studies, Sussex and Oxford Brookes have pledged to offer one scholarship per year for the next four years.

Palestinian academics will be able to study areas such as finance, business, IT, chemistry, agriculture, water management, international development, physics, education and law.

Amongst those supporting the scheme is David Lammy, UK minister for Higher Education, who said:

“In countries all over the world, the link between a burgeoning HE sector and a thriving economy is clear. Through training the next generation of academic leaders, HESPAL will make a real difference to local communities in Palestine, benefit the academic community and the wider society and re-energise the economy.”

Antoine Mattar, a key fundraiser for the scheme and Chair of the Palestine Britain Business Council commented:

“The Palestine Britain Business Council views this initiative as a milestone in the development of higher education in Palestine, which will enhance the skills, expertise and knowledge needed for all disciplines in the socio-economic environment of the communities.”