WELLINGTON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand tertiary students will be offered the chance to participate in NASA's International Internships Program in the United States, under an agreement between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and NASA.

"Through the program, high-achieving students will have the opportunity to work in NASA's best and most advanced research facilities, with access to expert mentors," Economic Development Minister David Parker said in a statement on Monday.

"The experience could inspire someone to begin the journey to becoming an astronaut or to follow in the footsteps of great Kiwi scientist Sir William Pickering who led the successful effort to put the first U.S. satellite in orbit," Parker said.

The minister said he hopes this will galvanize New Zealand students to think about how their skills could be applied in the space industry, in areas such as Earth observation, data science, astrobiology or robotics.

It also strengthens New Zealand's connection with global space networks and raises New Zealand's profile as a location for space activities, he said, adding New Zealand is well-positioned to become a hub for new space activities with its highly-skilled workforce and expertise in physics, energy, engineering and computer science research.

The agreement is accompanied by a new scholarship from the New Zealand Space Agency, which will be available to up to four successful applicants to cover the cost of participation, airfares, accommodation, and other associated expenses.