Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Recipient, Manisha Mudliar from Fiji, Shares Her Experience Pursuing a Master of Public Management at Victoria University of Wellington

My name is Manisha Mudliar, and I currently work as the Programme Officer – Private Sector Development at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, the Pacific region’s premier economic and political organisation. I hail from the beautiful islands of Fiji and reside in Suva. I hold a Master of Economics from the University of South Pacific and a Master of Public Management from the Victoria University of Wellington. I have around 8 years of experience working in policy analysis, development, and implementation in the areas of private sector development, inclusive digital economies, and sustainable development.

During my tenure in the civil service, where I was the lead of various policy programmes, I realised there was a need to further educate and upskill myself on effective programme delivery, including Monitoring and Evaluation, to achieve the intended programme outcomes and ensure the maximum benefit of programme implementation through the utilisation of scarce resources. I knew that I would be able to perform better through upskilling and further knowledge acquisition in the space of public management.

New Zealand Manaaki Scholarship Details

I applied for the New Zealand Manaaki Scholarship for the Master of Public Management at the Victoria University of Wellington (VuW) and was successful. Through research, I gathered that the VuW's School of Government was top-notch in New Zealand, and I aspired to be a student at this School. The total scholarship amount was NZD150,000, and there is a condition to return to your home country and serve for two years. If this condition is violated, the recipient will be required to pay the scholarship amount.

Educational Background

I began my Undergraduate degree at the University of the South Pacific and graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Economics and Finance. My GPA was 4.02/4.5. I continued with further education as a part-time student and completed my Master of Commerce in 2019 with a GPA of 3.7/4.5. In 2020, after successfully acquiring a full-time scholarship, I resigned and undertook my second Master's at the Victoria University of Wellington. I graduated in 2021 with Merit.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Victoria University of Wellington?

The Manaaki scholarship does not require the candidate to apply to institutions. Once you are selected for the scholarship, you gain admission into the University.

How Did You Find Information About the New Zealand Manaaki Scholarship and Victoria University of Wellington?

The scholarships are normally advertised in daily newspapers. I also frequently conducted research online for potential scholarships. Information on institutions/universities was acquired online, and information was acquired through university websites. I also emailed the faculty a few times to seek further clarification.

Did You Take Any Standardised Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

Completion of IELTS Academic was a requirement for the scholarship, after a candidate is chosen. The Manaaki scholarship scheduled IELTS Classes to assist candidates in preparing for the exam.

How Does the Victoria University of Wellington Support International Students?

Vic had great support systems in place to assist international students, with a scholarship support office located within the University. Every month, the scholarship office hosted a coffee hour for students to network, and I found this very helpful.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

It is very important to provide real-life experiences when writing answers to scholarship questions. Ensure to go over programme modules and see how it related to your current work and will also be suitable for the future.

What Advice Would You Give to Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

The application form might look short, but it takes a lot of preparatory work to develop a high-quality application. Ensure to conduct research and select an area that aligns well with your academic qualifications, your work experience, and your future. Conduct research on suitable courses and go over the module information as well, and ensure these are linked well with the answers provided to scholarship questions. Start early to put together a good application.