Congratulations: (From left) Nurul Sahira Sakinah, Vilashini and Ng.
Three Malaysians will be headed to the United Kingdom to pursue their dreams, thanks to the “Women in STEM” scholarships.
After a highly competitive selection process that saw applications from hundreds of students, Charlene Ng, Vilashini Saravanan and Nurul Sahira Sakinah Muhammad Ali secured scholarships from the 24 awarded across Asean and Timor Leste through the Asean-UK SAGE (Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education) and the British Council Women in STEM scholarship programmes.
Both scholarship schemes were awarded under the “Women in STEM” scholarships, aimed at addressing gender disparities in access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, a press release dated Aug 14 read.
Ng, the Asean-UK SAGE scholar, will pursue her MSc Computer Science at the University of Warwick, while British Council Women in STEM scholars Vilashini and Nurul Sahira Sakinah will study MSc Digital Health and MSc Global Wildlife Health and Conservation at the University of Bristol, respectively.
The trio, who share a passion and vision to make a difference through STEM – a field where women are traditionally underrepresented – will begin their fully funded studies in the UK this month.
These outstanding scholars were selected from a pool of high-calibre applicants, based on their academic achievements, leadership potential and dedication to making significant contributions to a field where women account for only 29.2% of the STEM workforce globally, despite representing almost half of the non-STEM employment sector.
The Asean-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships were open to women from all Asean member states: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as Timor-Leste.
Meanwhile, the British Council Women in STEM scholarships were open to women from South Asia, East Asia, wider Europe and the Americas.
As an Asean Dialogue Partner, the UK is committed to advancing girls’ education across the region through the SAGE programme, ensuring equitable access to quality education for all girls, said Ambassador of the UK to Asean Sarah Tiffin.
“We are excited to offer this great opportunity to our new scholars. Their talent and dedication are 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,” she said.
Congratulating the scholars, British Council director (Malaysia) Jazreel Goh said she believes that each of the scholars will go on to have successful careers in STEM, becoming not only leaders in their fields but also inspirational role models for other women.
The winners of the British Council Women in STEM Scholarship this year are now part of an esteemed network of 11 Masters and three Fellowship Women in STEM scholars from Malaysia over the last three years, she said.
“Their achievements will make a significant difference and pave the way in advancing STEM for women in Malaysia.
“Through this scholarship, and as a proud lead implementation partner of the Asean-UK SAGE programme, we will continue to empower women, create role models, and reinforce a positive attitude towards STEM education among women and girls across the region,” Goh said.
Note: The Asean-UK SAGE and the British Council Women in STEM scholarship programmes will reopen in January 2025. For details, visit britishcouncil.org/study-work-abroad/in-uk/scholarship-women-stem and britishcouncil.id/en/programmes/education/sage.
