06  April 2022
Maybank launches first ever ASEAN-Maybank Scholarship programme, invests RM5m for intakes up to 2025

Maybank launches first ever ASEAN-Maybank Scholarship programme, invests RM5m for intakes up to 2025
- 25 students from 10 ASEAN countries to benefit by 2025

Maybank has collaborated with the ASEAN Secretariat to jointly introduce the ASEAN-Maybank Scholarship (AMS) programme 2022 – the first ever scholarship programme by a regional organisation in partnership with the ASEAN Secretariat.

The scholarship, which will involve an investment of some RM5 million for the initial intakes up to 2025, is part of Maybank’s continued commitment to invest in the future of ASEAN youth through education.

AMS is designed to provide young, talented and deserving ASEAN nationals, especially those from the lower income segment, with full scholarships to pursue their undergraduate education in prestigious universities outside their own countries, but within the ASEAN region. For the first intake this year, a total of three scholarships are being offered, which will progressively be increased to 10 a year by 2025 and thereafter.

Maybank Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, who is also Chairman of Maybank Foundation, said that Maybank was honoured to partner with the ASEAN Secretariat to launch the first intake for this scholarship programme to deserving students in the region.

“This is part of our commitment to invest in the future generation through education and help promote greater understanding among the people of ASEAN. It also aligns with our mission to humanise financial services and supports one of the four headline sustainability commitments in our M25 Plan, which is improving the lives of one million households across ASEAN by 2025.”

Tan Sri Zamzamzairani added that Maybank is hopeful the AMS scholarship programme would encourage greater intra-ASEAN integration by boosting educational links between its member countries. “It is designed to lay the foundation for a transformative cross-cultural experience that will have a far-reaching effect on its beneficiaries. This is why we have a target to sponsor 25 deserving students from 10 ASEAN countries by the year 2025. We hope the recipients will go on to positively impact their communities by becoming change makers and leaders, and contributing to the region’s economic and social development.”

H.E. Tran Duc Binh, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs said, “The ASEAN-Maybank Scholarship highlights ASEAN’s commitment in working with various stakeholders to prepare our youth for a brighter future by enhancing the opportunities for their education and employment. The ASEAN Secretariat looks forward to the successful implementation of the scholarship so as to bring more opportunities to the youth, the leaders of our future.”

For the inaugural AMS 2022 intake, the three scholarships will be available for first-year undergraduates who will be placed in top public universities in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, and this will gradually be expanded to the remaining ASEAN countries. Students may undergo a three or four year programme, studying in fields such as Finance, Information Technology, Psychology, Economics, Marketing, Law, Human Resource, Banking, Mathematics, or Future Ready related courses such as programming, coding, creative design, data and science.

Maybank Foundation will provide funding for the scholarships, which includes full coverage of tuition fees throughout the duration of study, allowances for monthly stipend and accommodation, settling-in allowance, return economy class air passage, subsidised medical benefit (out-patient) and accident insurance coverage, provisions for laptops, other necessities such visa, medical check-up, Covid-19 screening and quarantine costs.

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be a citizen of any of the 10 ASEAN member states, possess excellent academic qualifications including a minimum CGPA of 3.00 or equivalent at pre-university level, and be active in extracurricular activities. They should also have received admission or offer from a university within the ASEAN University Network membership to pursue undergraduate studies in any of the approved disciplines of the programme.

The ASEAN University Network membership currently stands at 30 member universities in the 10 ASEAN Member States with its Secretariat based at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Amongst the member universities are top ranked universities globally such as the National University of Singapore (Singapore), Universiti Malaya (Malaysia), University Indonesia (Indonesia), Chulalongkorm University (Thailand) and University of the Philippines (Philippines).

Scholarship recipients will also have the opportunity to conduct their internships either at the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Foundation or Maybank offices regionally. In addition, they will be given the chance to participate as volunteers in Maybank Foundation programmes run together with ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Foundation. Upon graduation, scholars will serve a three-year bond in either the Maybank Group, ASEAN Secretariat or ASEAN Foundation.

Online applications are currently open until 16 April 2022 and can be viewed on the Maybank and ASEAN Secretariat websites and social media platforms. Interested applicants may also visit www.maybankfoundation.com for further information.

The ASEAN-Maybank scholarship is one of the ASEAN-level initiatives undertaken by Maybank Foundation, which is a newly accredited ASEAN entity. It aims to promote an innovative ASEAN approach to higher education, which is one of the strategic measures listed in the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025.

The scholarships are in addition to the existing Maybank scholarship programme which has been available locally since the 1970s, offering opportunities to deserving Malaysian students, especially those from the lower income segment, to pursue quality higher education at top universities in the country, as well as in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, the Bank has been running separate scholarship programmes in Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines in recent years, for students pursuing undergraduate studies at institutions of higher learning in these countries.

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