• ST Telemedia will commit an aggregate of approximately S$4 million for a period of seven years
• Scholarships offer disadvantaged students an invaluable opportunity to further their studies at top international universities
• An extension of ST Telemedia’s ongoing CSR efforts in education and created as part of the company’s 25th anniversary
• Scholarships pay special tribute to Singapore’s founding Prime Minister for his strong support for international business and education
• Partnership with UK universities reinforces the strong Singapore–UK educational links

 

SINGAPORE, 30 July 2019 –- ST Telemedia (STT), a strategic investor (focused on communications & media, data centres and infrastructure technology businesses), together with Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY School), Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge (Fitzwilliam) and Somerville College, Oxford (Somerville) today announced the launch of three scholarships that focus on Singaporean students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Valued at an aggregate of approximately S$4 million for a period of seven years, the bond-free scholarships cover full university tuition fees and living allowances for the period of study.

In Singapore, STT is establishing the ST Telemedia Scholarship for a Master in International Affairs programme at LKY School. On the international front, STT is sponsoring undergraduate scholarships at Fitzwilliam through its Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Fund, and Somerville through the Margaret Thatcher Scholarship Trust. Both scholarships, named the ST Telemedia – Lee Kuan Yew Undergraduate Scholarship and Lee Kuan Yew – Thatcher Scholarship respectively, are available for undergraduate courses across a wide range of disciplines.

Scholarships offer students an invaluable opportunity to further their studies at top international universities

The STT scholarships are established to help high-achieving Singaporean students from disadvantaged backgrounds such as those from low-income families, pursue their academic aspirations by offering them an invaluable opportunity to study at top universities in Singapore and the UK – a dream that would otherwise be much tougher to achieve.

The launch is a timely reflection of the Singapore government’s push for inter-generational social mobility and access to quality education to help Singaporeans achieve their full potential, a foresight of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. 

An extension of STT’s ongoing CSR efforts in education and created in conjunction with its 25th anniversary

Created in conjunction with its 25th anniversary, the scholarships are an extension of STT’s current corporate social responsibility efforts in education. STT has a longstanding history of supporting Singapore’s tertiary education. STT is a founding donor of both LKY School and Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore. Currently, the company is in partnership with Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore to offer the ST Telemedia Catalyst Award, abond-free study award with internship opportunity, to promising second-year students who require financial help.

Scholarships pay special tribute to Singapore’s founding Prime Minister

The university sponsorships are STT’s first, and the company has chosen to establish the scholarships as a special tribute to Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew for his strong support for international business and education. The LKY School is clearly associated with promoting regional ties and understanding. Fitzwilliam is Mr Lee’s alma mater and he was one of the very first patrons of Somerville’s Margaret Thatcher Scholarship Trust.

Partnership with UK universities reinforces the strong Singapore-UK educational links

STT’s partnership with the UK universities underscores the strong educational links between Singapore and the UK. According to the British Council Singapore, the UK continues to be a popular choice among Singaporeans, with over 8,000 students studying at UK universities in the 2016-2017 academic year[1]. This is a marked increase from about 3,500 Singapore students in the 2014-2015 intake, as reported by the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency[2].

“Access to quality education has never been more vital to economic advancement and quality of life in a knowledge-based economy. As part of our 25th anniversary celebration this year, ST Telemedia is delighted to extend our impact on education with the launch of our first university scholarships,” said Stephen Miller, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of STT. “The founding principles of the universities and their emphasis on governance, inclusiveness and a pioneering spirit resonate closely with STT’s values of open-mindedness, enterprise, and our focus on good governance to deliver lasting impact. We are excited to partner with these three outstanding educational institutions, while also contribute our part to break down financial barriers and help deserving, disadvantaged young Singaporeans fulfil their dreams.”

“Against the backdrop of a global power shift to Asia, the need for knowledgeable, capable leaders with keen insight on international affairs in the region and beyond has never been greater,” said Professor Danny Quah, Dean and Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics, LKY School. “The Master in International Affairs programme will empower future leaders with an understanding of the dynamics in Asia and its growing influence on global affairs. STT’s generous support in establishing the ST Telemedia Scholarship will pave the way for qualified and promising candidates, regardless of financial constraints, to take on the upcoming challenges of governance in Asia.”

Professor Nicola Padfield, Master of Fitzwilliam College, said, “Lee Kuan Yew studied Law at Fitzwilliam House, which is now Fitzwilliam College, in the University of Cambridge. He was later elected an Honorary Fellow. We remain a dynamic, welcoming and international community with strong ties to Singapore. Fitzwilliam was founded 150 years ago specifically to improve access to Cambridge for a much broader range of students. We continue that tradition by seeking to ensure that every student, whatever their background, can fulfil their potential and take advantage of the rich opportunities offered at the College and the University. Today’s announcement marks a tremendously exciting development of Fitzwilliam College's ongoing relationship with Singapore. Four scholars from modest backgrounds will get the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Lee Kuan Yew and join our wonderful Fitzwilliam community.”

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, Principal of Somerville College, said, “Somerville College, part of the University of Oxford, is known for its commitment to academic excellence, and its drive to be inclusive, which was written into our DNA from the beginning. I am delighted by this generous gift that will enable us to extend our world-class education to four new scholars from Singapore, coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is a reminder of the flourishing ties between Somerville College and Singapore, a country that prizes educational excellence just as much as we do.”

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About Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy is an autonomous, professional graduate school of the National University of Singapore. Its mission is to educate and train policy-makers and leaders, with the objective of raising the standards of governance throughout the region, improving the lives of its people, and, in so doing, contributing to the transformation of Asia and beyond. In addition to Masters and PhD programmes, the LKYSPP offers high quality customised Executive Programmes that cater to the needs of time-constrained senior managers and professionals, with the aim of delivering creative solutions to real management and leadership challenges.

About the Master in International Affairs (MIA) programme

Take the lead in the Asian Century. As societies and economies in Asia continue to grow apace, decisions and events in the region have the capacity to reverberate around the world. The question is, how will leaders in business and government manage the inevitable transition to the new centre of power and influence? The full-time Master in International Affairs (MIA) Programme at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) seeks to provide students with the practical and theoretical knowledge to manage, and benefit from, this global power shift. Located in the heart of Southeast Asia, the school offers future leaders an unmatched vantage point from which to understand the dynamics of the region, and its growing influence on global affairs.

About Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge

Fitzwilliam College is one of the 31 colleges of the University of Cambridge. This year we are proud to mark 150 years since our origins in 1869, when students were admitted directly to provide a cheaper route into Cambridge. With more than 800 students (including postgraduates), and 54 Fellows, Fitzwilliam is today one of the larger Cambridge Colleges. We welcome students from all backgrounds to join our community of undergraduates, graduates and academic staff.

Over the past 150 years, more than 150 students from Singapore have come to Fitzwilliam College. The ST Telemedia – Lee Kuan Yew Undergraduate Scholarship will build on this historic connection by investing in the next generation of outstanding young scholars, and promoting intellectual exchange between Singapore and the University of Cambridge. In 2016, Fitzwilliam College established The Lee Kuan Yew Fitzwilliam Fund in honour of Lee Kuan Yew, who studied Law at Fitzwilliam from 1947-1949 and was later elected as an Honorary Fellow of the College. The original scholarships were designed for talented Masters and PhD students working in fields connected to Singapore, and to act as a memorial to Lee Kuan Yew’s memory, reflecting his strong belief in the power of education. These are our first Lee Kuan Yew undergraduate scholarships.

About Somerville College, University of Oxford

Somerville College, a constituent College of the University of Oxford, has a distinguished history as an open and progressive institution with a brilliant track record of research - including Britain’s only female Nobel Prize winner for science, Dorothy Hodgkin - and a commitment to providing an exceptional level of support for students. It was founded in 1879 to extend an Oxford education to women and now educates both women and men. Pioneering Somerville alumni include Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, Vera Brittain and Iris Murdoch.

The Margaret Thatcher Scholarship Trust

The Margaret Thatcher Scholarship Trust (MTST) was established at Somerville College in 2013 to fund and administer the Thatcher Scholarship Programme in the University of Oxford, thereby creating a living legacy for Britain’s first female prime minister. The first Thatcher Scholarships were awarded in 2016 and in 2020 there will be 16 Thatcher Scholars studying at Somerville. The first Thatcher alumni graduated in 2018 and are shaping policy in areas ranging from finance to constitutional law.

 

Footnotes:
[1] (2018). Why Study in the UK. Campus 2018 – Study in the UK. Retrieved from https://www.flipsnack.com/sgBritish/campus-2018-study-in-the-uk.html

[2] British Council Singapore. (2016, 26 February). Appetite for UK Qualifications still growing. Retrieved from https://www.britishcouncil.sg/about/press/appetite-uk-qualifications-still-growing