Published: 2024-03-18 by, News Team in the Global news category

Female STEM Scholarship Program Launched in Hong Kong in Partnership with Newcastle University

British Council Hong Kong has collaborated with Newcastle University in the United Kingdom to introduce an inaugural female scholarship program aimed at inspiring and supporting women pursuing STEM studies. Susannah Morley, the council's director, highlighted the need to challenge stereotypes by encouraging girls in STEM.

Thanks to support from the Sir Tang Siu Kin Education Trust, the program will select five female students to pursue postgraduate studies at Newcastle University. These students will have the opportunity to enroll in one-year taught master's programs in fields such as environmental engineering, emerging technologies, economics and finance, or international development and education.

The scholarship program offers comprehensive benefits, covering full tuition fees, a 12-month monthly stipend, a return economy-class ticket, visa fees, and health insurance. Applicants must be permanent residents and meet the entry requirements for their chosen courses, including academic equivalents and English proficiency.

Morley stated that applicants would undergo a formal selection process by the university, including an interview session. She expressed hope that the program would attract more ethnic minority women, providing them with opportunities in higher education, where they are often underrepresented.

Professor Susanne Choi Yuk-ping, a gender studies academic from the Chinese University's sociology department, emphasized the "double disadvantages" experienced by minority girls in Hong Kong in education. She highlighted societal resistance and preferences for traditional gender roles.

Choi noted that while over 52 percent of bachelor's degrees awarded by the University Grants Committee in 2022 were to women, senior academic positions remained predominantly held by men. She stressed the importance of role models in encouraging girls to pursue STEM subjects, advocating for successful women in STEM fields to serve as inspirations for young girls.

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