A scholarship programme jointly launched with the British Council will see more women in South East Asian countries supported to study at The University of Warwick.
The ASEAN – UK SAGE: Women in STEM ScholarshipsLink opens in a new window will provide the opportunity for six outstanding women students from Vietnam, Timor-Leste, Myanmar, and Malaysia to study a one-year Master's course at the University.
The Master's courses, covering whole range of subjects from Engineering and Biomedical Science will start in autumn 2024.
The first Warwick recipients of the ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarship are:
Ng, Charlene (Malaysia) – MSc Computer Science, University of Warwick
Thet, Win Nandar (Myanmar) – MSc Humanitarian Engineering with Sustainability, University of Warwick
Lam, Ngoc Ngan (Vietnam) – MSc Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, University of Warwick
Nguyen, Ha Phuong Thao (Vietnam) – MSc Engineering Business Management, University of Warwick
Guterres de Sa Benevides, Dirce Maria Jose (Timor-Leste) – MSc Engineering Business Management, University of Warwick
These talented individuals share a passion and vision to make a difference through STEM, a field where women are traditionally underrepresented. Women account for only 29.2% of the STEM workforce globally, despite representing almost half of the non-STEM employment sector (World Economic Forum).
Professor Michael Scott, Pro-Vice Chancellor (International), University of Warwick, commented, "The University of Warwick is deeply committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment that empowers students from all backgrounds. Through this scholarship, we are not only welcoming talented women from South East Asia into our academic community, but we are also supporting the global effort to bridge the gender gap in STEM fields.
"We are confident that these scholars will make significant contributions both during their time at Warwick and in their future careers, inspiring others to pursue excellence in STEM."
Secretary-General of ASEAN, H. E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn said, "This scholarship programme underscores the UK and ASEAN's shared commitment to gender equality and female empowerment in STEM. By supporting girls and marginalised communities in accessing education and improving foundational learning, we aim to bridge the gender gap and foster a more inclusive and innovative future."
Ambassador of the UK to ASEAN, H. E. Sarah Tiffin said, "As an ASEAN Dialogue Partner, the UK is committed to advancing girls' education across ASEAN region through the SAGE programme, ensuring equitable access to quality education for all girls. We are excited to offer this great opportunity to our new scholars. Their talent and dedication is inspirational, and we look forward to seeing how they will shape the future of STEM in ASEAN after studying at the UK's world-class universities."
Summer Xia, Director Southeast Asia, British Council said, "We are immensely proud of these women and their accomplishments. As the lead implementation partner of the ASEAN-UK SAGE Programme, the British Council is honoured to support the educational journey of these outstanding scholars. We believe their success stories and future contribution will be invaluable to the advancement of STEM disciplines and inspire many more women and girls to follow in their footsteps."
The ASEAN-UK SAGE Programme is the UK's flagship education programme in ASEAN, aiming to improve foundational learning outcomes in basic literacy and numeracy, support girls and marginalised groups to access education, and to break down gender barriers to digital skills and employment, thus empowering young women to flourish to their full potential.
The scholarship has been developed by the British CouncilLink opens in a new window, and funded by the UK Government through the ASEAN – UK Supporting the Advancement of Girls' Education (SAGE) Programme.
