The scholarship was established through a S$300,000 gift from LBKM.

Mr Suhaimi Salleh, Immediate Past President of LBKM (extreme left) and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, LBKM President (second from left) presenting the cheque to FASS Vice Dean Assoc Prof Loy Hui Chieh (second from right), and FASS Director of Administration Mr Mark Teng.

The NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) has received a generous endowment gift of S$300,000 from Lembaga Biasiswa Kenangan Maulud (LBKM) – or Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday Memorial Scholarship Fund Board – to establish the LBKM Social Sciences Scholarship.

The Scholarship will be available to academically outstanding full-time third- and fourth-year Singaporean students pursuing majors in Communications and New Media, Economics, Global Studies, Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, as well as Sociology and Anthropology. This aims to further spur academic excellence in the social sciences amongst FASS undergraduates and encourage them to distinguish themselves in their scholastic activities.

Applications for the Scholarship worth $5,000 each will open in the academic year beginning in August 2023.

Professor Lionel Wee, Dean of NUS FASS, said, “The rise of the digital economy has driven up demand for social scientists as their knowledge and skills are needed to understand the impact of new technology on people and societies, provide social support in the wake of fast-moving changes, and overcome cultural differences in an increasingly shrinking world. These are roles robots and technology cannot replace. This Scholarship will enable us to attract and nurture exceptional social science students keen to grow their skills and achieve their fullest potential. We are grateful to LBKM for their trust and strong support.”

Associate Professor Loy Hui Chieh, Vice Dean of NUS FASS, and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, President of LBKM, signed the agreement today to establish the Scholarship, with a ceremonial cheque presented by LBKM to NUS FASS.

Dr Syed Harun said, “LBKM’s continued support for undergraduates in the study of social sciences remains of extreme importance as societal and community needs become more complex, ever-changing and inter-disciplinary. It is hoped that LBKM’s contributions will continue to inspire students to do well in the area of social sciences and groom future leaders who will not only perform exceptionally in their academic pursuits but also give back to the community."

The new LBKM Social Sciences Scholarship is an extension of LBKM’s longstanding relationship with NUS FASS and past community donations that have supported undergraduate students financially and encouraged them to excel in their studies since 2007.  

This story was first published on 29 September 2022 on NUS News. Click here for more NUS News stories.