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HKU awards HeforShe IMPACT Champion Scholarships to five international students

12 Nov 2017

 

HKU’s HeforShe IMPACT Champion Scholarships scheme has just come to fruition with the arrival of the first five recipients of the scholarship; who are all settling well into their first semester.

The students have come from different parts of the world -- Laos, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan and Ethiopia, and are studying a diverse range of undergraduate courses including Architecture, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences and Business Administration.  The recipients have overcome many difficult personal and/or cultural obstacles, particularly relating to gender issues in their countries, in achieving success in their education.

“I have always wanted to be better than what I am, and to prove that we as females do deserve to be active leaders. This scholarship guides me to the way I can be a society leader as I've always wanted to be. I can feel that I am really doing something for myself and for females in general. By the HeforShe IMPACT Champion Scholarship, I have the chance to be academically distinct, to know more and to feed my curiosity, to introduce my culture as a Syrian person to the world and to receive all the other cultures in Hong Kong as well,” said a student from Syrian Arab Republic studying Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies at HKU.

“The HeForShe scholarship made it possible for me to pursue my dream and travel abroad. Coming to HKU to study in a top most prestigious university is a matter of pride and honour for me. To learn in professional labs and receive high-end training will surely lead me towards a successful life and that’s why I'm here, away from my family, chasing my ambitions. I believe I will set an example for all the parents, not just in my country but elsewhere around the globe so that they may also encourage their daughters to pursue their dreams at HKU,” said another student from Pakistan studying Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences at HKU.

Professor Peter Mathieson, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, was delighted to welcome these talented students to the University and said: "I am personally thrilled to welcome these five remarkable young women to the University. They have earned, against very stiff competition, fully-funded scholarships which offer them a unique opportunity to study here. The benefits of the scheme are not however confined to these five students. By their presence here they will bring added diversity to our student body; other students and staff will be able to learn from them about parts of the world that might previously have been unfamiliar. They will also act as role models for young people in their own and other countries, and illustrate the empowerment that university education can bring. I am grateful to all the colleagues at HKU that have brought this scheme from an original crazy idea to actual fruition in a very short period of time."

“The scholarship hopes to remove barriers against social mobility for these students and help them achieve their goals and dreams. It isn’t simply about providing the economic resources but also making the students’ education wholesome. We are doing our best to support these students like providing them with mentors, who are alumni of HKU, to help and guide them from the beginning of their university career. We hope that an inspired university education would lead these students back to their own countries and communities, where they will continue to work for the cause of gender equity that HKU supports and promotes.” Professor Mathieson added.

About HeForShe Initiative
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) launched the “HeForShe” Campaign in 2015, to promote the UN initiative of gender equity. Early this year, the President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, Professor Peter Mathieson announced the launch of HKU's HeforShe IMPACT Champion Scholarships. Each year, HKU will award five scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly related to gender-disadvantage, so that they can receive a quality education at HKU. The scholarships cover tuition and accommodation fees, plus a general living allowance.

HeForShe is a United Nations (UN) initiative on gender equity and HKU is the first university globally to launch this campaign on campus. The overall goal of HeForShe is to spread awareness and spark action on the responsibility that men and boys have in eliminating all forms of discrimination against women and violence against women and girls.The UN Women created an impact group called 10x10x10 which comprises 10 Heads of State, 10 CEOs of global corporations and 10 University Presidents. HKU's President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Mathieson, is one of those ten.

For more about the HeForShe Impact Champion Scholarship, go to http://www.hku.hk/heforsheimpactscholarships.

For more about the HeForShe initiative, go to http://www.heforshe.org/en.

For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Melanie Wan (Senior Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk.