Hanoi (VNA) ▨– Private conglomerate Vingroup on July 5 granted science and technology scholarships worth 98 billion VND (3.88 million USD) in total to 36 outstanding individuals selected from over 800 candidates.

In Fall 2024, these scholars will participate in master's, doctoral and post-doctoral programmes at prestigious universities such as Harvard University, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, Michigan University, Ann Arbor, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign (USA), Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) or University of Queensland (Australia). The Science and Technology Scholarship Programme for Masters and PhDs was established by Vingroup in 2019 to identify and nurture Vietnamese talents to become leaders in the future development of Vietnam’s science and technology. The scholarship programme is one of many annual community activities conducted by Vingroup in the field of social philanthropy, one of the three pillars of the group’s development strategy, including industry–technology, commerce – services, and social philanthropy.

Within 11 years starting from 2019, Vingroup plans to grant up to 100 full scholarships for master's and doctoral degrees each year for young Vietnamese talents. Within the programme, students study key majors at excellent training institutions in countries with leading science and technology development in the world, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Russia, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. The scholarship programme managed and operated by VinUniversity prioritises candidates in key science and technology majors, including Computer Science and Information Systems, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Science.

Normally, students receive a 2-year scholarship for master's programmes and a 4-or-5-year scholarship for doctoral programmes. The scholarships include tuition fees, monthly allowance/salary, visa, health insurance, and other benefits. Candidates will receive maximum support during the application process and admission to target universities. Candidates will also participate in the Vingroup scholars network and be supported throughout their studies as well as after graduation. They will be provided with updated information and connections to job opportunities, internships, or research projects in Vietnam. Since 2019, the programme has funded 210 scholarships worth more than 690 billion VND. After nearly 6 years of implementation, 70 out of 210 students completed their master's and doctoral degrees. Of these, 36% of the scholars who completed their master's degrees continued to receive scholarships from prestigious universities such as Oxford, Harvard, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Melbourne, and Queensland to continue their doctoral studies. Of the group, 23% of the scholars work at research institutes or prestigious global organisations to gain experience before returning to Vietnam. To date, 33% of the participants have completed their programmes and returned to Vietnam. They have taken on roles as lecturers and researchers at domestic universities and research institutes. These include the Institute of Information and Communication Strategies, the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, the National Economics University, VinUniversity, the University of Science – Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, and Foreign Trade University./.