PSB Academy launches first-ever Scholarship for ASEAN with focus on Social Impact

This first-of-its-kind initiative from Singapore's private education institution sector aims to cultivate change makers for the region while emphasizing the value of social impact as a key criterion in the scholarship's selection process.

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 01 March 2018 -PSB Academy (PSB), Asia's Future Academy, today commenced recruitment for its first wave of "PSBA Future Makers ASEAN Scholarship" for students from ASEAN member countries.

One of the faces behind PSB Academy's Future Makers Campaign is La Trobe University alumnus Fatin Insyirah Bte Fadil from Singapore. She is a clinical researcher and aspiring doctor who hopes to use her healthcare expertise to inspire budding scientists and positively impact her community. Through its newly launched ASEAN Scholarship, PSB hopes to support students from the region who are also passionate about making a social impact.

This regional initiative, a first for Singapore's private education institution (PEI) sector, was conceptualized in anticipation of Singapore's ASEAN Chairmanship this year, along with the country's focus on "resilience" and "innovation" as key growth drivers for the regional grouping.

To that end, PSB Academy hopes that this pioneering scholarship programme will make a positive contribution, by doing its bid as Singapore's leading PEI, to inspire budding talents from the region to do well at their studies with PSB, and having done so, to help others in their local community thrive in the New Economy.

Scholars with a social mission

While these scholarships will be awarded on the basis of academic merit, the selection process will also be guided by the candidate's potential to make a meaningful social impact in his/her community upon graduating from PSB.

"We are fully cognizant of the high expectations that come with Singapore's chairmanship of ASEAN this year. Through this scholarship, we hope to make a humble contribution toward our nation's efforts as a catalyst for the region's transformation into a more innovative and dynamic economic community.

We've always believed in the value of quality education as a critical socio-economic equalizer for human capital. We believe that our first-ever regional initiative will inspire more students to step up to improve themselves, earn a reputable qualification, and become a force for good for their community." said Marcus Loh, Chair of PSB Academy's Scholarship Committee and Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communication.

Recruitment commences in March

With the first application cycle spanning March to May, the scholarship recruitment process will include a video submission where the candidate must express the ways in which he/she hopes to contribute to the community as a positive change-maker for their home country and/or the ASEAN region.

"As Singapore's leading PEI we have built a 50-year track record of producing industry-ready graduates. Today, our mission evolves, and we draw on our heritage as champions for Singapore's productivity movement, to develop our homegrown community of diversified talent, to make an impact beyond our shores.

With this scholarship, we feel humbled to be able to help fellow citizens of this ASEAN community realise their aspirations for a quality education, that in turn would drive positive change for their communities, economically and socially," says Dr Martin Grunert, Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning), PSB Academy.

The scholarship programme will offer deserving candidates full or partial subsidies for their course fees as they study in one of the undergraduate, diploma, certificate or IGCSE programmes at PSB Academy. To be eligible for the scholarship, candidates must have successfully enrolled / are commencing their studies at PSBA within the stipulated academic cycles. More details of the scholarship can be found here: www.psb-academy.edu.sg/PSBAFutureMakers.

Future Makers for ASEAN and beyond

The PSBA Future Makers ASEAN Scholarship has been launched in conjunction with PSB's broader initiative this year to champion its own students, staff and alumni as "PSBA Future Makers" to key publics across North, South and Southeast Asia.

"Across our campuses in Asia, the values that have shaped us to become The Future Academy burns brightly in our students, alumni, colleagues and partners as they strive to do well for themselves and the communities they serve. Today, our mission goes on, and we hope that the spirit of our Future Makers will inspire others to share these very goals, as we collectively build our ASEAN of tomorrow," says Derrick Chang, Chief Executive Officer, PSB Academy.