Hanoi (VNA) - Five Vietnamese recipients have been announced for the Women in STEM scholarships, awarded under two programmes: the ASEAN-UK SAGE (Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education) Programme and the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships, according to the British Council in Vietnam.

Both scholarship schemes aim to address gender disparities in access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

The ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships were open to women from all ASEAN Member States (AMS): Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, 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 America.

After a highly competitive selection process which saw applications from hundreds of students, five students from Vietnam secured scholarships from the 24 awarded across ASEAN and Timor-Leste through both the ASEAN-UK SAGE and British Council Women in STEM scholarship programmes. 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).

Two Vietnamese students won the ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships. Lam Ngoc Ngan will pursue a Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research at the University of Warwick. Nguyen Ha Phuong Thao will study a Master’s Degree in Engineering Business Management at the University of Warwick.

Three others won the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships. Nguyen Vu Tuong Linh will study a MSc in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Bristol. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy will pursue a MSc in Environmental Policy and Management at the University of Bristol, while Truong Ngoc Mai will study an MSc in Science Communication for a Better Planet at the University of Bristol.

According to the British Council, the ASEAN-UK SAGE Programme is the UK’s flagship education programme in ASEAN. It aims to improve learning outcomes in basic literacy, support girls to access education, and break down gender barriers to digital skills to empower young women to flourish to their full potential.

The ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships programme is available for the first time to eligible women in ASEAN member states, and Timor-Leste. This year, a total of 12 outstanding students were offered the Women in STEM scholarships.

The Scholarships contribute to furthering the goals set out in the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (4, 10 and 17), and ASEAN-UK Plan of Action 2022–2026. The areas of strength involve engagement between UK and ASEAN education institutions, staff, and students through scholarship initiatives. The scholarships have been developed by the British Council and are funded by the UK Government through the ASEAN-UK SAGE Programme.

In its fourth year, the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships programme offers over 100 scholarships worldwide, with 12 scholars from ASEAN countries receiving awards this year.

For both the ASEAN-UK SAGE and the British Council Women in STEM programmes, each recipient will receive a fully funded opportunity to complete a master’s degree at prestigious universities in the UK. They will begin their studies in the UK from September 2024.

"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,” said Ambassador of the UK to ASEAN Sarah Tiffin.

The ASEAN-UK SAGE and 🎃the Bri🐲tish Council Women in STEM scholarship programme will reopen in January 2025./.