Young Singaporeans keen to pursue a career in academia will now be able to apply for a new scholarship to bring them closer to their goal. Education Minister Heng Swee Keat announced this at the inaugural Raffles Dialogue on Monday (Feb 2).
The Ministry of Education-Autonomous University (MOE-AU) Scholarship will be offered to students who are about to pursue or are in the midst of pursuing their undergraduate studies. About 10 to 15 scholarships will be offered each year to those who demonstrate a high level of proficiency, motivation and interest in a particular field.
If they do well, the students will be sponsored for postgraduate scholarships and take up academic positions offered by the autonomous universities. Each scholarship recipient will be paired with the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) or Singapore Management University (SMU).
The university will provide a programme to prepare recipients well for an academic career, not just in research but also in teaching, MOE said.
The scholarship is part of the Singapore Academic and Research Talent Scheme by MOE. It aims to give young Singaporeans with a passion in academia a jumpstart to their career.
As part of the scheme, the ministry is also funding half of the post-graduate talent development schemes offered by the autonomous universities to groom future faculty.
The ministry aims to offer over 1,500 scholarships at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels over the next 15 years.
Mr Heng said: "The world is going through several knowledge revolutions at this point. Looking forward, we must continue to build up our nation's brain trust by investing in a Singaporean core that has the passion and ability to push the frontiers of knowledge and to teach for the greater good."
NUS President Tan Chorh Chuan noted: "This new scholarship will provide a big boost to NUS' long-standing programmes to nurture young Singaporean faculty through its Senior Tutorship Scheme and by providing them with funding support to pursue their higher degrees and postdoctoral training through the NUS Overseas Graduate Scholarships and Overseas Postdoctoral Fellowships respectively.
"In the last 10 years, for example, NUS has awarded close to 70 of these scholarships and fellowships. They return to NUS after their international stints to develop as outstanding academics."
The Raffles Dialogue brings together more than 150 leading global thought-leaders to address issues on sustaining the well-being and security of societies. It is organised by NUS and the National University Health System.
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