Sunway now a Chevening sponsor
Education Group recently became a new Chevening partner as the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation is funding a scholar for the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic years.
The Chevening-Jeffrey Cheah Foundation scholarship is for students pursuing a Masters in medical, physical or life sciences at Cambridge, Oxford or Lancaster Universities, which are academic partners of Sunway Education Group.
Foundation founding trustee Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah signed the memorandum of understanding with the new British High Commissioner to Malaysia Charles Hay. Earlier, Hay welcomed the Malaysian Chevening scholars from the 2017/2018 academic year.
The event also celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Chevening Awards with a reunion of the Malaysian Chevening alumni all the way back to 1984.
Hay said Malaysians were the largest Chevening recipients in Asean.
“Last year, we sent 45 Malaysians to the UK to pursue their postgraduate studies for the 2018/2019 academic year, and today, we welcome back 44 from the 2017/2018 year.
“They now form the 1,600 strong Malaysian Chevening alumni. This large number of Chevening scholarships is made possible by our local partners, who provide additional funding to the Chevening programme in Malaysia,” he said.
The 2017/2018 batch of scholars had graduated from prestigious higher-learning institutions.
Zaim Firdauz A. Kahar said studying in the UK was a great experience and an eye-opener.
“I got to learn new things at one of the best schools and was fortunate to know so many peers from different backgrounds.
“As for bringing back knowledge, I am contributing fresh ideas and the best practices I learned to my job at the Securities Commission, which I am in charge of knowledge management,” said the scholar who pursued a Masters in Information Management and Digital Innovation at Warwick University.
Izza Izelan, who studied Education and International Development at University College London, said she took up gender studies as she found the subject interesting.
“Right now, I’m with a non-governmental organisation that champions women and girls’ issues. As the new executive director, I plan to bring many things and resolve as many issues as I can relating to women and girls.”
Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu, who has obtained a Masters in International Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies, said: “My Chevening experience was a year of soaking in serious learning, rigorous training in international politics and discovering new interests in the field of human rights, which I otherwise would not have found.”
The returning scholars were joined by the Chevening alumni, including Azril Mohd Amin, who studied at the University of London in 2004/2005.
“For me, the Chevening experience was humbling and life-changing. It gave me amazing opportunities in intellectual freedom, professional development and networking,” he said.
“On a personal level, I benefited immensely from the wisdom and support of my former teachers and fellow scholars, who remain as valuable friends.”