Bernama:
Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) is offering scholarship worth RM1.12 million to 10 China citizens to pursue degree programmes in Malaysian universities.
YSD Chairman Tun Musa Hitam said the students, from various parts of China, would pursue four-year degree programmes in business and engineering at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) under YSD's Student Exchange Scholarship Programme commencing in September.
"Malaysia and China have always enjoyed a healthy partnership built on trust, good diplomatic ties and mutually benefiting economic policies, which has allowed the formation of unique partnerships in the education field and capacity building as what we have today.
"We hope the scholarship will give them a competitive edge over their peers and provide scholars with opportunities to hone and pick up skills," he told reporters after the scholarship launching at a welcoming reception for officials from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), led by CSC Secretary General Liu Junghui, here Saturday.
Also present were China's Ambassador to Malaysia Datuk Chai Xi and YSD Council Member Tan Sri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin.
Musa said similar opportunities would also be extended to countries where Sime Darby Group maintained its presence.
Last year, YSD awarded 10 scholarships worth RM2.37 million to 10 Malaysians to study in China.
They are currently finishing their foundation programmes and will start their degree courses in September at top China universities including the Peking University, Tsinghua University and Zheijang University.
The YSD's student exchange scholarship programme in China provides full scholarship covering tuition fees and living expenses, books and laptop allowances, among others.
With CSC's assistance YSD also extends other educational benefits to scholarship recipients including scholars development programmes prior to joining Sime Darby's workforce, internship and continuous personal support of the scholars welfare and academic performance during the tenure of scholarship.