HWL's sponsorship aims at providing more opportunities for high quality Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong scholars to study science, technology, medicine, engineering and social sciences in top UK universities. The sponsorship also encourages the scholars to contribute to the community upon their return.

The Group's contribution to the awards scheme arose out of the visit to the Mainland and Hong Kong in 2003 by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in which Mr Blair invited HWL Chairman Mr Li Ka-shing to participate in the scheme.

HWL then contributed £2 million in November 2003 which, together with the latest commitment, had taken the Group's total sponsorship to £4 million. The total contribution made by the Group will fund 110 scholars' studies in the UK. The UK Government will also contribute the same amount as matching funds.

Mr Li said the greatest challenge for educationalists today was to fire the youth with the enthusiasm to pursue knowledge and be a part of the learning process.

"Competing in business in today's increasingly globalised world is a battle of wits and it is not for the run-of-the-mill. We must combine motivation with vision and curiosity, move ahead with perseverance and courage, and to seek perfection through innovation in whatever we do," Mr Li said.

The first batch of 53 Hutchison scholars under the awards scheme had already started their doctoral studies at top-rated UK universities since last autumn.

Mr Blair said the scheme had been a great success and was attracting students of the highest calibre from overseas to study for their PhDs in the UK.

"I am delighted that it is continuing in 2005 / 2006. These students are a welcome brain gain' for the UK during their time here and will also provide an important boost to capacity building when they return to their home countries," Mr Blair said.

The Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government, Sir David King, said the scheme aimed to bring outstanding students from countries and places such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, Brazil, Russia and the developing world to study for PhDs in top-rate UK research facilities. The emphasis of the scheme is excellence, both of the research training environment and of the student.

Apart from this PhD awards scheme, HWL has been sponsoring for years students from Hong Kong and Mainland China to study in the UK. Back to October 2002, the Group donated a total of £2.02 million to expand the British Chevening Scholarships scheme to include 63 extra scholarships each year over a four-year period, benefiting a total of more than 250 postgraduate students from Mainland China and Hong Kong.

Previous