25 scholars on global track

The Star

7 days ago

Set to soar: The scholarship recipients with (centre row, from left) Kim Yee, Prof Zhang, Wang, Prof Sze Wei and Tee.
THE opportunity to pursue tertiary education both locally and abroad is now within reach for 25 scholarship recipients.
Thanks to the Malaysia-China Talent Development Programme, 10 Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) students will pursue a Bachelor of Metallurgical Engineering micro-credential programme, spending the first two years here, followed by another two years at the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB).
The other recipients will take up bachelor's degrees in accountancy, finance, investment, electrical and electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, and mechatronics, including four students from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR).
Now in its second year, the initiative is a collaboration between TAR UMT, USTB and Eastern Steel Sdn Bhd (ESSB). The cross-border integrated programme aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry at a global level.
The scholarship award presentation ceremony was held recently at the TAR UMT main campus in Kuala Lumpur, attended by its president Prof Datuk Dr Lee Sze Wei, USTB International Students Centre deputy director Prof Zhang Hu, ESSB chief executive officer Wang Shenghua, ESSB executive director Datuk Tee Choon Hock, and UTAR Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science deputy dean Dr Lee Kim Yee.
In his speech, Prof Lee said the programme offers a clear and future-focused pathway for developing talent by bridging education and career in a seamless and purposeful way.
'This helps to close the academia-industry gap and meet the growing demand for graduates who are well-educated and workforce-ready,' he said.
His counterpart Prof Zhang, meanwhile, said both sides have worked diligently to improve the programme's structure, enhance coordination, and support participating students more effectively, following the pioneer initiative in July last year.
'This reflects our commitment to strengthening collaboration with industries, integrating academic learning with practical experience, and ensuring the growth of both education and the workforce,' he said.
Separately, Wang said the first batch under the programme has shown results, with two of the students joining the company and contributing their expertise.
'The success is not only a concrete action towards empowering local talent and investing in the future, but also a vital step in fostering deeper integration between education and industry in both Malaysia and China.'
Scholarship recipient Mei Jian Hao expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to further his studies at both TAR UMT and USTB.
'This will help deepen our technical knowledge and abilities, broaden our horizons, and lay a strong foundation for our future careers.'
Another recipient Heng Jen Yi said he was selected after going through interviews, based on his academic results and active participation in extracurricular activities in school.
'The scholarship and the opportunity to study overseas will inspire us to strive harder in pursuit of our dreams,' he said.