Following a rigorous selection process with hundreds of applicants, three students from the Philippines have been awarded scholarships to attend prestigious universities in the United Kingdom.
The British Council announced on Wednesday, Aug. 15, that three Filipinas have been named recipients of the Women in STEM Scholarships, which are part of two initiatives: the ASEAN-UK SAGE (Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education) Programme and the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships.
These scholarships are designed to tackle gender disparities in access to education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Pinay pride
The 2024 Filipina Women in STEM Scholarship recipients are Maria Andrea Kristina Onglao, pursuing an MSc in Environmental Data Science and Machine Learning at Imperial College London under the ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships; Mikaela Gail Santos, pursuing an MSc in Biotechnology (Healthcare Biotechnologies) at the University of Bath; and Laravill Lanohan, pursuing an MSc in Biotechnology (Sustainable Biotechnologies) at the University of Bath under the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships.
The ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships were available to women from all ASEAN member states, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as Timor-Leste.
The British Council Women in STEM Scholarships, on the other hand, were open to women from South Asia, East Asia, broader Europe, and the Americas.
Women in STEM
The Filipina recipients were among the 24 awarded scholarships across ASEAN and Timor-Leste through the ASEAN-UK SAGE and British Council Women in STEM scholarship programs.
These talented individuals, the British Council said, are united by a passion and vision to make a difference in STEM—a field where women have traditionally been underrepresented.
Despite representing nearly half of the non-STEM employment sector, women make up only 29.2 percent of the global STEM workforce, according to the World Economic Forum.
Empowering women
The ASEAN-UK SAGE Programme is the UK’s flagship education initiative in ASEAN.
It aims to enhance foundational learning in basic literacy and numeracy, support girls and marginalized groups in accessing education, and dismantle gender barriers to digital skills and employment --- empowering young women to reach their full potential.
For the first time, the ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships programme is available to eligible women in ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste.
This year, 12 exceptional students were awarded Women in STEM scholarships.
Ambassador of the UK to ASEAN, H.E. Sarah Tiffin, said that as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner, the UK is committed to advancing girls’ education across the ASEAN region through the SAGE programme, ensuring equitable access to quality education for all girls.
“We are excited to offer this great opportunity to our new scholars,” Tiffin said. “Their talent and dedication are inspirational, and we look forward to seeing how they will shape the future of STEM in ASEAN after studying at the UK’s world-class universities,” she added.
The ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships support the objectives outlined in the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (4, 10, and 17), and the ASEAN-UK Plan of Action 2022–2026.
They particularly focus on enhancing collaboration between UK and ASEAN educational institutions, staff, and students through scholarship initiatives.
The scholarships were developed by the British Council and are funded by the UK Government through the ASEAN-UK SAGE Programme.
In its fourth year, the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships programme offers over 100 scholarships globally, with 12 awarded to scholars from ASEAN countries this year.
This prestigious scholarship allows successful recipients to pursue a master’s degree or an Early Academic Fellowship at a UK university, offering them a valuable opportunity to advance their careers in STEM fields.
Meanwhile, British Council Philippines Director Lotus Postrado congratulated the scholars.
“I believe that they will go on to have successful careers in STEM and become inspirational role models to other women, as advocates and leaders in their field,” Postrado said.
“Addressing the under-representation of women in STEM leadership, among the reasons for this under-representation are societal attitudes and perceptions about the role of women and girls in STEM,” she added.
Postrado noted that the British Council Philippines, together with the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships, is proud to be a lead implementation partner of the ASEAN-UK SAGE programme.
“Building on the previous years’ Women in STEM scholarships, the ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships aim to challenge these norms, empower women, create role models, and reinforce a positive attitude towards STEM education among women and girls,” she added.
Through the ASEAN-UK SAGE and British Council Women in STEM programmes, each recipient will receive full funding to pursue a master’s degree at prestigious universities in the UK, with studies commencing in September 2024.
The ASEAN-UK SAGE and British Council Women in STEM scholarship programmes will reopen in January 2025.