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The following is issued on behalf of the Student Financial Assistance Agency:

Lady Youde today (March 18) presented awards to 907 students who were granted awards and scholarships under the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund (SEYMF).

Mr John Chan Cho-chak, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Honourable Ronald J Arculli, Chairman of the Council, also officiated at the Ceremony held in the Concert Hall, City Hall.

"I am delighted that, not withstanding the recession that has affected Hong Kong and indeed the Asian region generally, the Fund has fared reasonably well over the past year," said Lady Youde.

"However, the true worth of the Fund's investments is not how much it makes each year but rather its investments in the young people of Hong Kong, through encouraging and developing their talents. These young people are its true assets and they belong to every Hong Kong citizen," she added.

In pursuing its objective of encouraging and promoting education and learning of the young people of Hong Kong, the Fund has disbursed $12.8 million in the 1999/2000 academic year. Awards made include 10 awards for overseas studies; 34 fellowships for post-graduate students; 92 scholarships for diploma and undergraduate students including 4 for the disabled; 21 awards for disabled students; 4 medals for students who obtained outstanding results in public examinations and 729 prizes for senior secondary school students.

Exclusive sponsorship in the amount of $500,000 towards the Young Friends of the Hong Kong Arts Festival Scheme continued in 1999/2000 to increase secondary school students' exposure to the performing arts. The Visiting Professorship Scheme, first launched in 1995/96 to promote cultural exchange between Hong Kong and other parts of the world, gave five awards for the year. The visiting professors will conduct seminars and deliver public lectures during their visits in Hong Kong.

Competition for the overseas fellowships and scholarships for 2000/01 was extremely keen. 10 brilliant students, from among 250 applicants, have won the awards. They will receive a maximum of HK$246,000 and HK$227,000 a year for a fellowship award and a scholarship award respectively. These students will have to return to work in Hong Kong for at least three years after completion of their studies.

The award recipients for the Overseas Fellowships 2000/01 are:

(1) Mr Chin Chi-on, a MPhil student at City University of Hong Kong, intends to pursue a PhD degree in Linguistics at the University of Washington in the United States.

(2) Mr Kam Wing-chong, currently an undergraduate student in Piano Performance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, plans to read for a Master degree of Music at Yale University in the United States.

(3) Mr William Sin Wai-lam, currently a Project Manager of the Education Convergences & Hong Kong Primary Education Research Association. He intends to pursue a PhD degree in Philosophy at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

(4) Mr Jenkins Suen, a first-class honours graduate in Bachelor of Law and currently a PCLL student at the University of Hong Kong. He intends to pursue a Master degree in Law at Harvard Law School in the United States.

(5) Miss To Shuk-chi, currently an undergraduate student in Saxophone at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, plans to pursue a Master degree of Music in Saxophone Performance at Indiana University, Bloomington in the United States.

(6) Miss Tse Yuen-kwan, a Postgraduate Diploma student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, intends to pursue a PhD degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of British Columbia in Canada.

(7) Miss Wu Ka-ming, a MPhil student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, plans to read for a PhD degree in Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley in the United States.

The award recipients for the Overseas Scholarships 2000/01 are:

(1) Miss Fung Shun-kwan, of Belilios Public School, who scored seven distinctions in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education (HKCEE) in 1998. She plans to study Literature and Film Studies at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.

(2) Miss Anastasia Liu Yung-tsin, of Diocesan Girls' School, who scored eight distinctions in HKCEE in 1998. She plans to study Psychology at Yale University in the United States.

(3) Mr Vincent Lung, of La Salle College, who scored seven distinctions in HKCEE in 1998. He plans to study Law at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Four students who obtained outstanding results in the 1999 public examinations have been awarded the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Medals. They are:

(1) Miss Elaine Ng Pui-kei of St. Paul's Convent School, who scored nine distinctions and one credit (Science Stream) in HKCEE in 1999.

(2) Miss Lo Yuen-yi of HKTA Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School, who scored eight distinctions (Arts Stream) in HKCEE in 1999.

(3) Miss Rosie Fan Hiu-yi of Maryknoll Convent School, who scored five distinctions (Science Stream) in the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) in 1999; and

(4) Miss Heidi Hung Hoi-yi of King's College, who scored five distinctions (Arts Stream) in HKALE in 1999.

A total of $372,000 has been expended on the Award Scheme for the Disabled Students, under which 21 students have been provided with financial assistance for the purchase of study aids.

This year, 34 postgraduate students have been awarded the SEYMF Fellowships at $38,000 each and 92 undergraduate and diploma students including 4 disabled have been awarded the SEYMF Scholarships at $25,000 each. In addition, 17 postgraduate students have had their local fellowships renewed.

The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund has since its inception supported more than 9,700 Hong Kong students under its major awards schemes. More than 800 scholars and fellows have completed their studies and are now working in Hong Kong in different fields, contributing to the well being and development of the territory.

End/Saturday, March 18, 2000

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