Nurturing Future Leaders With The Maxis Scholarship For Excellence Awards Programme

Making a positive impact, Maxis continues to develop and enrich communities through the Maxis Scholarship for Excellence Awards programme
To date, Maxis has awarded a total of RM44.7 million in scholarships to a total of 246 recipients.
Maxis Scholarship for Excellence Awards programme relieves students’ financial burden and enables them to experience the best education – contributes towards developing Malaysia’s future leaders

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
Kuala Lumpur, 13 September 2013

As part of its Maxis Scholarship for Excellence Awards (MSEA) programme, Malaysia’s only integrated communications service provider, Maxis Berhad (Maxis) has awarded scholarships to 19 bright, young, high-achievers for the programme’s September intake.

Maxis Chairman, YM Raja Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Arshad Raja Tun Uda said, “One of the key pillars of our corporate responsibility strategy is to continuously develop and enrich lives through initiatives such as the MSEA. The success of this programme eight years on is testament to our commitment in providing the means to unlocking the potential of these young Malaysians. Since its inception in 2005, Maxis through the MSEA programme has awarded RM44.7 million in scholarships to 246 gifted individuals. We send many of our scholars to the world's top institutions. Our unwavering support relieves their financial burden and enables them to experience the best education so that they can bring back new experience from afar. This is our way of making positive impact upon the lives of the communities in which we operate.”

These sentiments were echoed by scholarship recipient Joanna Menon Lim. “I am truly delighted to receive this award, and feel that it is important to recognise Maxis’ willingness to take an overall view of what it means to invest in talent – by looking at its contribution to nation building,” said Lim, who will be pursuing her Master of Education in teaching and learning at Harvard University.

Kamilia Khairul Anuar, who will be studying law at the University College London said, “What the MSEA has given me is an opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills that I feel would best equip me for the role that I hope to fulfil. Wherever change is required, knowledge and understanding of the law and its workings prove invaluable. In a democratic society, laws feed from a society's beliefs, cultures and characteristics. The law's close relationship with society is why I chose to study it, and I am glad that Maxis has agreed to sponsor me to pursue a law degree. As a Maxis Scholar, what I hope to be is an agent of change.”

All MSEA recipients such as Lim and Kamilia would have to undergo a stringent interview process comprising two rounds. The best are selected during the final stage by a panel of distinguished judges, which include Professor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of INTI-UC Laureate International University, Professor Datuk Dr. Roziah Omar, Deputy Director-General, Institut Pengajian Tinggi Swasta, Ministry of Higher Education and Associate Professor Dr. Stefanie Pillai, Director, Community and Industry Relations Centre, Universiti Malaya.

There are two intakes for the MSEA annually – one in April and September, and applies to both local and overseas universities. The undergraduate programme is open to all Maxis postpaid subscribers with a tenure of one year or more, together with their children. The postgraduate programme, however, is open to all Malaysians. In a given year, there are five places for postgraduate students and 53 undergraduates.

Recipients of the MSEA, both past and present have gained admittance to leading universities in Malaysia including Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Monash University and International Medical University, as well as some of the world’s most prestigious universities – namely the London School of Economics, King's College of London, University of Cambridge, Imperial College of London and Harvard Business School. 
The next window of selection for the undergraduate scholarship awards will open on 1 November and close on 10 December for the April 2014 intake. Applications for the postgraduate scholarships are open in June next year. For further details, please visit www.maxis.com.my/scholarship.

The MSEA is part of Maxis’ overall Corporate Responsibility (CR) agenda that focuses on education and community-based activities aiming to bring a positive impact upon the lives of the communities in which it operates. These initiatives include:

The flagship Maxis Cyberkids programme, which has provided ICT training to more than 8,600 students and teachers in over 1,500 schools. In conjunction with Cyberkids’ 10th anniversary last year, the programme was piloted for a special needs school. This year, the Cyberkids Camp will include both regular and special needs schools.
As part of the initiatives to support the needs of the community, Maxis also runs a home adoption programme, pledging support to two charity homes, the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC), a centre for people with disabilities run by people with disabilities, and the Jenjarom Old Folks Home. Maxis provides cash contributions and organises engagement activities and relevant training for these homes over a period of one year.