British High Commission Celebrates Return Of 40th Batch Of Malaysian Chevening Scholars 

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 (Bernama) -- A total of 35 Malaysian Chevening scholars have returned home after completing their postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom, marking the conclusion of the Chevening Awards Programme’s 40th-anniversary celebration.

Acting Deputy British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Tom Shepherd, hosted a reception on Friday to welcome home the 2023/24 cohort of scholars.

Shepherd said the UK's commitment to education and fostering global talent remains steadfast, and the Chevening Programme is a great example of this.

“Strengthening the bond between the UK and Malaysia, these alumni have returned not only equipped with invaluable knowledge and skills but empowered to make a real difference in Malaysia, contributing to its continued growth and prosperity,” he said, according to a statement from the High Commission.

This cohort saw 34 scholars completing their Master’s degree and one scholar completing an Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies fellowship programme.

They are the 40th batch of Malaysian Chevening alumni since the establishment of the scholarship programme in 1983, and their return also marks the conclusion of the year-long 40th anniversary of the Chevening Awards.

The Chevening Award is the UK Government’s global scholarship programme, funded and administered by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

The programme is also complemented by Malaysian corporate partners, including Yayasan Khazanah, CIMB Foundation, and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, as well as British universities.

Malaysia is the second largest recipient of Chevening awards in ASEAN and the 35 returning scholars are now part of the 2,000-strong Chevening Alumni in Malaysia. 

-- BERNAMA