Maybank has awarded 61 deserving Malaysian students from lower-income families with full scholarships worth RM4 million to pursue undergraduate studies at top local and foreign universities this year under the Maybank Group Scholarship Award 2022.
The scholarship programme, which has been a core corporate responsibility initiative of the Group since the 1970s, not only aims to support the country’s human capital development but also enables deserving students to pursue their dreams. It is a major component of the ‘Education’ category within the six Corporate Responsibility pillars adopted by Maybank Foundation. The main objective of the programme is to provide financial assistance to deserving students with high potential, create a strong entry-level pipeline comprising fresh graduates from top-tier universities as well as strengthen Maybank’s reputation as the top employer of talents, particularly amongst fresh graduates.
The 61 scholarships this year are in addition to the 71 existing Maybank scholarship holders who are still pursuing their tertiary studies under the programme. The total cost of scholarships for these 132 students is approximately RM7.2 million this year.
Speaking at a presentation ceremony in Menara Maybank, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, Chairman of Maybank said, “For the past five decades, more than 2,000 students have benefited from Maybank’s scholarship programme, contributing significantly to the growth of the organisation as well as the country.”
“We remain committed to continuously developing and enriching the pool of potential talents by providing sponsorships to deserving Malaysian students, especially those under the B40 category, to pursue quality higher education at leading public universities in the country, as well as in the US, Australia, and the United Kingdom.”
The Maybank scholarship programme, administered by Maybank Foundation, is in line with a key Maybank sustainability commitment in which the Group aims to ‘improve the lives of 1 million households across ASEAN by 2025’. It also meets the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 10, and 17, which promote inclusive and equitable quality education.
Each candidate went through a rigorous selection process and assessment focusing on leadership qualities and the ability to work as a team, apart from the standard prerequisite of having achieved excellent academic results and active engagement in extra-curricular activities.
Applicants with strong soft skills such as being able to communicate ideas clearly, demonstrate creativity, innovativeness, strong problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills, as well as displaying adaptability and agility given the rapidly changing environment, were prioritised.
Meanwhile, Datuk Nora Abd Manaf, Group Chief Human Capital Officer of Maybank said, “Although we were up against challenges caused by the pandemic, we remain focused and continued to contribute to the growth and development of our communities. We believe that scholarships for tertiary education remain an integral part of the eco-system and in line with our mission to Humanise Financial Services, we feel that it is our duty to continuously support and encourage the brightest young talents in the country who are facing financial adversities.”
In recognising diversity and inclusivity, as well as the evolving nature of the banking industry, Maybank welcomed applicants pursuing a wide variety of academic disciplines to enable them to have a fair opportunity in pursuing their dreams to make an impact in the world. Apart from finance-related disciplines or other fields relevant to the financial services industry, the scholarship programme also supports students pursuing courses in disciplines such as engineering, creative design, data science and IT applications, among others.
The Maybank Group Scholarship Award encompasses financial support, including tuition fees, living allowances, accommodation, book allowances, insurance coverage, and a laptop – and aims to develop the talents professionally via a rewarding career with the Group. The career development programme includes internship programmes, business assignments as well as personal and leadership development workshops.
