CHENGDU Polytechnic from China is offering 50 scholarships to Penangites this year, says Penang Tourism Development, Heritage, Culture & Arts Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin.
He said the scholarships are open to all SPM leavers in 2018 as well as to those who may have completed their SPM in the last couple of years.
“The environment at Chengdu is pronounced by a 5G technology and a 5G economy which could act as a catalyst to the Penang economy benefiting the nation as a whole.
“There has been tremendous growth in student movements between the two friendly communities. where 90% of Chinese students studying in Penang are from Chengdu,” Yeoh told a press conference in Komtar today.
The full scholarships for three years cover full tuition fee and part of the accommodation cost. They are open to all races within the Penang community while others are welcome to apply.
The courses available are Business, Information Technology (IT) and Tourism Management.
Upon completion of the award, options to study at other prominent universities in China become available, namely UEST (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China). Over 30% of Huawei’s 150,000 employees have graduated from UEST.
Yeoh said the Chengdu provincial government was proud of a gross domestic product (GDP) in excess of US$2 billion with a state-of-the-art development in technology, education, vocational skills and employment cushioned with a qualitative sustainable model.
He added that there was much similarity in Penang and Chengdu, both being proud believers in the quality of life lived within an invigorating environment.
Also present at the press conference were Phoenix Asia Academy of Technology chief executive officer Kenneth Phoenix Quah, its operations manager Sherene Lim and Study Penang executive director Tan Seang Aun.
Quah, whose academy will process the applications, said he was optimistic that the scholarships offered would be increased progressively every year.
Two Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) have been signed between the Penang government and Chengdu.
One, signed in November 2016, was for tourism cooperation while the other, signed last December between MBPP and Chengdu Municipality, was for establishing friendly cooperative relations.
“These were warmly received by both parties as the starting point of much more to develop and exchange,” Yeoh said.
To apply for the scholarships, contact: [email protected]
Story by Danny Ooi
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis