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The following is issued on behalf of the Student Financial Assistance Agency:
Over 950 students, five working adults and two apprentices were presented with awards and scholarships under the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund (SEYMF) by Lady Youde at the 17th Awards Presentation Ceremony of the Fund, held at Sha Tin Town Hall today (March 14).
Also officiating at the Ceremony were the Chairman of Board of Trustees, Mr Roger Luk Koon-hoo, and the Chairman of the SEYMF Council, Dr Lawrence T Wong.
Lady Youde said, "I am very pleased that during the past 17 years, the Fund has supported so many of the best students in Hong Kong. I know this has been a difficult year for everyone, but I am delighted to see that Hong Kong's spirit is undiminished."
"The Fund has disbursed some $149 million since 1987, benefiting directly or indirectly over 377,000 students through awards and other sponsored activities. These are figures that I believe we can all be proud of. I would now like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone who has helped us in establishing the Fund. We are confident that we can count on your continuing support to enable us to build on our success," she added.
In pursuing its objective of encouraging and promoting education and learning of the people of Hong Kong, the Fund has disbursed $12.2 million in the 2003/2004 academic year. Presented this year were 11 awards for overseas studies plus one overseas fellowship for a disabled student; 45 fellowships for post-graduate students, including one for the disabled; 93 scholarships for diploma and undergraduate students, including three for disabled students; 28 awards for disabled students, plus a one-off grant for an overseas disabled scholar; six medals for students who obtained outstanding results in public examinations; 768 prizes for senior secondary school students; two awards for outstanding apprentices and five awards for working adults who have undergone retraining and have successfully integrated themselves into their new work environment.
Exclusive sponsorship in the amount of $600,000 towards the Young Friends of the Hong Kong Arts Festival Scheme continued in 2003/2004 to increase the exposure of secondary school and tertiary students 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 three awards for the year. One public lecture has been held successfully while the other two will be launched in a couple of months' time. The Distinguished Lecture Series, first launched in 2002/03, aims to provide a forum for speakers nominated by professional bodies / associations to deliver lectures on issues of direct benefit to the people of Hong Kong. Three lectures will be sponsored and be held in the coming few months.
Competition for the overseas fellowships and scholarships for 2004/2005 was extremely keen. Eleven brilliant contestants, from among 334 applicants, have won the awards. Each will receive a maximum of HK$251,000 and HK$232,000 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 sponsored studies.
The award recipients for the Overseas Fellowships 2004/2005 are:-
(1) Miss CHAN Ho-man, currently an MPhil student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, plans to pursue a PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering at the John Hopkins University in the United States;
(2) Mr HUI Pan, currently an MPhil student at the University of Hong Kong, intends to pursue a PhD degree in Telecommunication and Networking at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States;
(3) Miss Cindy HUI Yat-sin, currently a trainee solicitor in a law firm, intends to pursue a Master of Laws at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom;
(4) Miss Janny LEUNG Hiu-chi, currently an instructional assistant, plans to pursue a PhD degree in Psycholinguistics at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom;
(5) Miss LOK Man-yin, currently studying a BA programme in Jurisprudence at the University of Oxford, plans to pursue a Master of Laws degree at the Harvard University in the United States;
(6) Miss Katrine WONG Ka-ki, currently an MPhil student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, plans to pursue a PhD degree in English Literature at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom;
(7) Miss YAU Mei-mei, currently studying at the School of Continuing Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, intends to pursue a MA degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom; and
(8) Mr YUEN Cheuk-wa, a part-time lecturer in the field of film and television, intends to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Sound Design at Yale University in the United States.
The award recipients for the Overseas Scholarships 2004/2005 are:-
(1) Mr CHONG Fan-fei of Queen's College, who intends to study Mathematics at Princeton University in the United States;
(2) Mr WAN Chin-ting of Queen's College, who intends to study Political Science at Yale University in the United States; and
(3) Miss YEUNG Pauline of Diocesan Girls' School, who intends to study Ethics, Politics and Economics at Yale University in the United States.
An overseas award exclusively for disabled students was introduced in 1994. The 2004/2005 fellowship recipient is Miss Elaine LUK Yee-ling, a visually-impaired student who plans to pursue a Master of Laws programme at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Six students who obtained outstanding results in the 2003 public examinations have been awarded the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Medals. They are :-
(1) Miss CHAN Shuk-kwan of Maryknoll Convent School, who scored five distinctions in Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) in 2003;
(2) Mr CHAN Wai-hong of STFA Leung Kau Kui College, who scored five distinctions in HKALE in 2003;
(3) Miss LI Wan-ching of Queen Elizabeth School, who scored five distinctions in HKALE in 2003;
(4) Mr CHAN Kwok-yan of Queens' College, who scored ten distinctions in Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) in 2003;
(5) Mr LUK Ting-hin of St. Joseph College, who scored nine distinctions in HKCEE in 2003; and
(6) Miss YEUNG Pauline of Diocesan Girls' School, who scored 10 distinctions in HKCEE in 2003;
The five working adults, nominated by the Employees Retraining Board and the Construction Industry Training Authority, who obtained the Awards for Self-improvement for Working Adults are as follows:-
(1) Ms CHAN Kwok-fong who took a security and property management retraining course is currently an assistant building superintendent in a property management company;
(2) Mr KWAN Pak-wai who attended a personal health care worker training course is currently a health worker in a residential care homes for the elderly;
(3) Mr LAU Wai-lun who attended a full-time short course in measurement technician is currently a quantity surveyor trainee in a construction management company;
(4) Mr LUK Chi-wing who attended an advanced security and property management retraining course is currently an estate assistant in a property management company; and
(5) Ms TONG Wai-ling who enrolled in a domestic helper retraining course is a domestic helper serving six different employers.
The two outstanding apprentices nominated by the Director of Apprenticeship, who obtained the Outstanding Apprentice Awards are as follows:-
(1) Mr HO Kwok-lung who completed a construction supervisor trainee / technician training programme, certificate and higher certificate courses in building studies; and
(2) Mr LEE Cheuk-wah who completed a craft certificate course in electrical engineering and a foundation certificate course in technical stream.
Nearly $500,000 has been expended on the Award Scheme for the Disabled Students, under which 28 local students and one overseas scholar have been provided with financial assistance for the purchase of study aids.
This year, 45 postgraduate students (including 10 renewal awards and one disabled student) have been awarded the SEYMF Fellowships at $38,000 each and 93 undergraduate and diploma students (including three disabled students) have been awarded the SEYMF Scholarships at $25,000 each.
The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund has since its inception supported more than 13 800 Hong Kong students under its major schemes. More than 1 400 scholars and fellows have completed their studies and are now working in Hong Kong in different sectors, contributing to the well-being and development of the territory.
Ends/Sunday, March 14, 2004
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