Businesses and organisations on the lookout for an injection of innovative ideas this summer have the opportunity to get some creative thinking done using brainpower from Victoria University.

Victoria is on the lookout for companies, government agencies and professional groups which want to tackle projects they don’t have resources to complete themselves, while also providing summer holiday work for some of the University’s top performing students.

In the eight years since it began, the University’s Summer Research Scholarships programme has given thousands of students rewarding and stimulating experience in a real-life business environment and encouraged many of them to embark on postgraduate study to further build their skill set.

The programme is open to students who have completed two years of their undergraduate degree, as well as anyone studying at honours or first year masters level at any New Zealand or Australian university (although they are required to be enrolled at Victoria for study in 2016 prior to beginning their scholarship).

Those who receive a summer scholarships will spend around 10 weeks carrying out a research project, and Professor Kate McGrath, Vice-Provost (Research) at Victoria, says it’s a fantastic opportunity for the students to really get stuck in.

“These are senior students who are high achievers—they can bring lots of energy and some really ingenious perspectives.

“It’s absolutely a win-win experience—organisations can gain a competitive edge by making the most of the student’s research skills, while students get a taste of what it’s like to do meaningful research. That experience often prompts them to enrol for further study, such as a Masters or PhD.”

An additional benefit, says Professor McGrath, is that the programme establishes research relationships between Victoria University and external partners that can grow into long term collaborative research partnerships.

This year Victoria is offering 300 summer scholarships, and many of them are available for partnerships with businesses or agencies wanting to get involved in the scheme. The external party pays half the scholarship—or $3000—and the funds are matched by the University.

The summer scholars offer a wide range of academic expertise, including science and engineering, humanities and social sciences, commerce, architecture, education and law. Each student has an academic supervisor who works with them and the participating organisation to ensure maximum benefit is gained from the research project.

Businesses or organisations interested in hosting a student researcher this summer can find more information about the programme and submit an online application at www.victoria.ac.nz/research/collaborate/opportunities