In line with International Women’s Day, British Council Hong Kong is proud to announce the launch of its first-ever scholarship designed exclusively for women graduate students. In collaboration with Newcastle University and supported by Sir Tang Shiu Kin Education Trust, the scholarship aims to provide women from marginalised and ethnic minority backgrounds with the opportunity to pursue their academic careers and leadership ambitions. This groundbreaking initiative stems from the British Council’s commitment to promoting gender parity, diversity and equality of opportunity.
According to the Hong Kong Government Census and Statistics Department, women are earning more bachelor’s degrees than men in Hong Kong. In 2022, over 52 per cent of bachelor’s degrees funded by the University Grants Committee were conferred to women. However, despite the growth in number of women achieving high education qualification, currently only one in five senior academic positions are held by women. Women also hold the least senior administrative positions and are the lowest paid among higher education administrators.
The British Council Scholarship for Women provides five fully funded scholarships for female students from Hong Kong to pursue a Master’s degree at Newcastle University from September 2024. Each of the scholarship covers full tuition fees, a monthly stipend of £1,347 (approximately HK$13,500) for 12 months, a return economy class ticket, and other study related costs such as IELTS exam fees, visa application, NHS surcharge and study materials. Programmes eligible for the scholarship include MSc Environmental Engineering, LLM Emerging Technologies and the Law, MSc Sustainability Management, MSc Economics and Finance and MA International Development and Education with Cross Cultural Communication.
"The British Council has a long history of awarding scholarships to Hong Kong students going back to 1946. The Scholarship for Women will cover tuition fees and other educational expenses, allowing recipients to focus on their academic pursuits without financial constraints. We firmly believe that supporting young women to continue their studies in the UK will contribute to addressing the underrepresentation of women in senior academic and leadership roles," said Susannah Morley, Director, British Council Hong Kong. "The gender imbalance between men and women in senior academic and leadership roles is a challenge facing both the UK and Hong Kong Higher Education sector. By establishing this scholarship, we aim to support women graduate students in Hong Kong to break down barriers, overcome challenges, and emerge as leaders in their respective fields. We will encourage the scholarship recipients to pay it forward and continue to inspire and support other women – especially those from marginalised and minority backgrounds – to realise their potential."
To mark the launch of the scholarship, the British Council hosted a forum titled "Women in Leadership: Opportunities and Challenges for Women Academics in Leadership Careers," which brought together accomplished women academics from a range of disciplines to discuss the challenges women in academia face. The forum provided a platform for thought-provoking discussions and insightful conversations on the prevailing gender disparities in academic leadership and the pressing need for targeted support and opportunities for women, especially those from marginalised and minority backgrounds.
Applications for the Scholarships for Women are open until 30 April 2024. For more information on the scholarships, please visit this link or apply on Newcastle University’s official website here.