Bermudians can benefit from full-tuition scholarships at Arizona State University, it was announced recently at a symposium commemorating World Ocean Day.

The event last Friday also highlighted the contributions of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, which spanned 120 years.

The study awards, under the partnership between BIOS and ASU, will give five Bermudians full-tuition undergraduate scholarships annually to study in person in Arizona.

Selection takes academic performance into account as well as financial need.

The university has created additional tuition awards for other students from the island.

Recipients can attend in person at half the standard international student tuition rate, which is $34,398 in the 2023-24 academic year.

Full-time students can join undergraduate online programmes of 24 credits for $11,500.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, who attended the event, said the Government fully supported the initiative.

At last Friday’s event David Burt, the Premier, said the scholarship arrangement with ASU was testament to the power of international relationships for a small island.

William Curry, president and chief executive of ASU BIOS, said: “As our world continues to encounter increasingly stressed natural and environmental systems due to human activity, we as ocean and climate researchers stand at the forefront of understanding what our world’s largest biome is experiencing, how it is reacting and what we as humans can do to help it return to a place of optimal wellbeing.”

Philanthropic support is being sought by the ASU Foundation to supplement the scholarship programme.

BIOS said costs included additional tuition as well as room, board and travel, and educational materials and academic fees for both immersion and online students.

Students can join either as first years with no earlier higher education experience, or by transferring from other higher education institutions.

ASU works with Bermuda College on pathway programmes.

BIOS offers hands-on learning to primary school pupils, as well as summer and autumn semester courses online and in person for college students, including those at ASU’s School of Ocean Futures.

The institute merged with the university’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory in 2021.

It said it “remains an internationally recognised centre for educational opportunities, ocean science, atmospheric research and environmental monitoring and mapping”.

Meanwhile, during today’s sitting of the House of Assembly, Mr Rabain said the Government will provide funding to the tuition initiative through its scholarships and awards programme.

He said that after preliminary discussions with Bermuda College, “we plan to add to our already extensive scholarship offerings three scholarships valued up to $10,000 per year for two years”.

Mr Rabain said: “This will enable graduates from Bermuda College to continue their final two years of schooling at Arizona State University.”