Speech by Raymond Lim, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry, at the 5th Singapore Scholarship Certificate Presentation Ceremony, 5 September 2003

Speech By Mr Raymond Lim, Minister Of State For Foreign Affairs And Trade And Industry, At The 5th Singapore Scholarship Certificate Presentation Ceremony, 1530 Hrs, Friday, 5 September 2003, Mandarin Court, Mandarin Hotel

Excellencies
Singapore Scholars
Ladies and Gentlemen

On behalf of the Singapore government, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you this afternoon. I am especially pleased to welcome the fifth group of Singapore Scholarship recipients under the Singapore Cooperation Programme or the SCP.

2 Singapore is a country with people as its only resource. We believe that human resource development is vital for economic and social progress. Education is an integral part of human resource development. This is the foundation of the SCP. It is on this bedrock that the Singapore Scholarship awards are designed to help develop future leaders in the social, business and public sectors in the ASEAN region.

3 Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong launched the Singapore Scholarship awards at the 6th ASEAN Summit in 1998. At that time, the region was suffering from the debilitating effects of the Asian economic crisis and the scholarships were intended to ensure that good education opportunities remained available to bright, young people in ASEAN. The number of scholarships was increased to sixty per year at the ASEAN Summit in Singapore in 2000 under the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI). The IAI is a key initiative to narrow the development gap within ASEAN, in which education and human capacity building play an important role.

Singapore Scholars

4 Today, you stand on the threshold of great opportunity. The world is currently facing difficult times. The economic climate is uncertain, while terrorism and the recurring threat of SARS remain poised on the edge of the horizon. ASEAN has not been spared, but we must face up to these challenges with determination and resolve. You represent the hope of the future.

5 The sixty of you here today come from each of the nine ASEAN countries, apart from Singapore. You are high academic achievers. Your abilities have won you places at the Nanyang Technological University, the National University of Singapore and for the first time this year, the Singapore Management University.

6 You have chosen courses that range widely from engineering to business management and from accountancy to life sciences. The knowledge and skills you acquire are relevant to the developmental needs of your home countries and will enable you to contribute meaningfully upon your return. As Scholars nominated by your respective governments, you represent their hopes and aspirations. Therefore, I urge you to do your best during the next 3 to 4 years in Singapore, so that on your return you can contribute significantly to the growth of your country.

7 Your presence in Singapore enriches the diverse mix of cultures at our universities, making campus life more dynamic and engaging. I want to encourage you to participate in the various university activities during your stay. The people you meet and the friendships you forge will foster closer bonds between Singapore and ASEAN students. By living together and learning from one another, our sense of identity as members of an ASEAN community will also grow.

8 For many of you, this will be your first time away from home. To help you settle in quickly, we have introduced to each of you, a Singaporean host family who will provide you guidance and a listening ear during your stay. These families are also present today and act as valuable points of contact for information, friendship and advice. To the participating host families, I want to say a warm thank you for taking the time and effort to lend your support to these young scholars. In addition, a senior scholar has been assigned to each of the new scholars as a "buddy". They will not only help ease the adjustment to campus life but also provide valuable "tips" on how to study smart.

9 The arrival of this latest batch of scholars has brought the number of Singapore Scholarships awarded to date to 235. Past Singapore Scholars have distinguished themselves and some were subsequently offered the Accelerated Bachelors and Masters Programmes at NTU. Others won places on the Dean's List at NTU and NUS. I would like to encourage the new scholars here to learn from their experience and to emulate their example. With hard work and dedication, you will not only equal your seniors' performance but also reach great heights in personal achievements and do your country, your family and friends proud.

10 Let me close by thanking the Ministry of Education, NTU, NUS, and the SMU for helping us implement the Singapore Scholarship. I am confident that these scholars are in the good hands.

11 Finally, I would like to wish each Singapore Scholar the best of luck for the coming years. May your stay in Singapore be memorable and fruitful.

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