Surpassing hundreds of people, 5 Vietnamese female students received full scholarships to study in the UK

Ngoc Ngan (left) and Phuong Thao will study in the UK from September in the fields of interdisciplinary biological research and engineering business management, respectively. They are also the first two Vietnamese scholars in the ASEAN-UK SAGE STEM scholarship program for women, which was launched in February.

Specifically, Lam Ngoc Ngan (Can Tho City, former student of Can Tho University), Nguyen Ha Phuong Thao (Lam Dong Province, former student of Hanoi University of Science) received STEM scholarships for women from the ASEAN-UK Girls' Education Advancement Program (ASEAN-UK SAGE) to study for a master's degree at Warwick University; Nguyen Vu Tuong Linh (Ho Chi Minh City, former student of Foreign Trade University, Ho Chi Minh City campus), Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy (Hung Yen, former student of Diplomatic Academy), Truong Ngoc Mai (Thai Nguyen, former student of Hanoi National University of Education) received STEM scholarships for women from the British Council to study for a master's degree at Bristol University.

According to the British Council, both scholarship programs aim to address the gender gap in access to education in STEM fields. In total, ASEAN and Timor-Leste (11 countries) have 24 full scholarships, 12 each. After screening hundreds of applications, Vietnam won 5 scholarships, an achievement considered “outstanding”.

“These talented individuals have shared their passion and vision for making a difference through STEM, an area where women are often underrepresented. Women make up just 29.2% of the global STEM workforce, despite making up nearly half of non-STEM jobs, according to data from the World Economic Forum,” the British Council said.

According to the British Council, the ASEAN-UK SAGE and British Council STEM Scholarship Programme for Women will resume accepting applications in January 2025.

Ms. Sarah Tiffin, British Ambassador to ASEAN, commented that as a dialogue partner of ASEAN, the UK is committed to supporting girls’ education in the ASEAN region through the SAGE program, ensuring access to quality education for all girls. According to Ms. Tiffin, the talent and dedication of Vietnamese scholars is an inspiration to many other women in the region and around the world.

Criteria for the ASEAN-UK SAGE Women's STEM Scholarship

Ms. Donna McGowan, Director of the British Council in Vietnam, agrees with the above view. According to Ms. McGowan, the scholarships aim to empower women, create role models and reinforce positive attitudes towards STEM education for women and girls. “I believe that the success stories and the role of Vietnamese scholars in the future will inspire more women and girls to achieve success in STEM careers,” said the female director.

According to information from the universities, the two scholarships include tuition fees, living allowance, round-trip airfare, travel expenses, international English certificate exam fees, visa fees and health insurance. To apply, candidates need to meet many criteria such as: being admitted to designated schools, having completed a bachelor's degree, demonstrating the ability to contribute to the country in the future, returning to the country for at least 2 years after completing the scholarship program and committing to actively working in the STEM field...

In ASEAN countries, girls often outperform boys in math and science in primary and secondary school. The gender gap begins to appear in STEM education at the university level, with only 19.3% of women holding a university degree in STEM compared to 39.8% of men. According to the United Nations 2022 report, women participate in only 20% of STEM jobs globally. Many other studies have also highlighted the disparities in scientific publications, income and career advancement of women in the STEM field.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vuot-hang-tram-nguoi-5-nu-sinh-viet-nam-nhan-hoc-bong-toan-phan-du-hoc-anh-185240815125742806.htm