MDIS’ commitment to ‘Educating with a heart’ sees Institute awarding close to $300,000 in scholarships and bursaries to more than 400 local and international students

Singapore: The Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), Singapore’s oldest not-for-profit professional institute for lifelong learning, awarded $294,200 in scholarships and bursaries to 424 beneficiaries at its MDIS 22nd Scholarship & Bursary Awards Ceremony.

MDIS is strongly committed to helping deserving and needful students pursue their education and develop to their fullest potential. This year, the institute has awarded special bursaries worth $5,000 each to two recipients to extend extra help to them and their families.

The MDIS Scholarship & Bursary Awards are a part of the institute’s continued pledge to give back to the community; a pledge it has kept for more than 30 years now. MDIS’ first charitable event was held for 800 children from 18 charity homes back in 1983. To date, the institute has disbursed nearly $6 million worth of scholarships and bursaries to some 7,500 beneficiaries. The bursaries and scholarships are awarded through the MDIS Education Trust Fund.

Students from India as well, with an aspiration to pursue education in Singapore have bagged the MDIS scholarships in the past. Sivashunmugam Chandhni, who won the MDIS’ Postgraduate Merit Scholarship to Pursue M.Sc in Finance delightfully shares ““If I could sum up MDIS in one phrase, it would be ‘a professional institute with a heart’. While pursuing a course at an institute of MDIS’ stature is in itself a big achievement in any student’s life, the scholarship came as a boon to me and my family. My journey with MDIS has been a wonderful one and I cannot thank the institute’s management and staff enough for the role they have played in shaping my career,”

Prerna Jain, MDIS alumni from India who won the scholarship says it has come as a boon by helping her to explore her talents and paving way for her successful career. “The scholarship from MDIS came as a silver lining & it renewed my dream to pursue an MBA in Banking & Finance. With the scholarship in hand, I became even more motivated to achieve academic excellence, so that I could create a better future for myself and my family. The scholarship has bolstered my social mobility and has given me ample opportunities to firstly explore my talents & then positively contribute to the society. I am grateful to MDIS’s commitment in providing opportunities to deserving students for pursuing further education,” she adds.

Students from India who wish to pursue Masters Programmes can avail S$2,000 Student Rebate Fee. This opportunity is available for all international students. The Rebate promotion ends on 30th June 2017 and the students must apply for intakes that commence before 31st December 2017.

Apart from the Student Rebate fee, MDIS is also offering MDIS Merit Scholarship (International) Awards, which the Indian students can avail. For a Master’sDegree, students with good academic track record can win a scholarship of the value S$4,000. Besides, students who wish to pursue Bachelor’s degree can bag a scholarship worth S$3,200, and S$500 for Pre-Degree Programme.

MDIS Business School offers diverse programmes in Masters, Degree, Graduate diploma, Advanced diploma, Diploma and other categories.

“For the past 22 years, MDIS has been a constant support to deserving and needful students and their families. We believe that everyone, regardless of their background and circumstances, should have the equal chance for an education and receive the same opportunities their peers enjoy,” said Dr R Theyvendran, Secretary-General of MDIS.

Extending extra help to beneficiaries
Beneficiary of the special bursary, Jerlyn Loh, aged 14 shared, “My parents and I are very thankful for MDIS’ big-hearted gesture. The bursaries mean a lot to me and my family, and it motivates me to strive harder despite an extremely stressful and difficult time in our lives. My parents will receive some relief for the substantial amount of medical expenses for the family. The award has inspired me to believe that I can make it through difficult times if I think positively and move forward”.

Jerlyn strives to excel in school despite a challenging home life. Sensible and matured, she is a big help to her mother; sharing the burden of care for a brother stricken with end stage renal failure and a grandfather who is partially bedridden. Jerlyn herself was recently diagnosed with a hypoplastic kidney, with one kidney only functioning at 25% capacity. She would require long term medical attention.

The second beneficiary of the MDIS special bursary, 13 year-old Toh De En shared, “I am very grateful for the generous help MDIS has extended to me and my family. The bursary will go a long way in helping us tide through difficult times. It will also provide me the chance to pursue my interests and expand my horizons.”

Supporting Special Education Needs
Another key focus for MDIS is helping students from Special Education Schools realise their potential and providing them with opportunities to pursue their interests. In total, 36 children and youth with mild intellectual disability, autism, multiple disabilities and/or hearing impairment from 13 Special Education Schools will benefit from the awards.

Scholarships and Bursaries for Local and International Recipients
MDIS awarded other bond-free bursaries to 371 local students from secondary, post-secondary and tertiary levels; and 17 local and international recipients for their pre-degree and degree studies.