SINGAPORE — A final-year student and four alumni from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have been chosen to be part of the prestigious Schwarzman Scholars graduate fellowship.

This is a one-year, fully funded master’s degree programme in global affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.

The five, which include three Singaporeans, are among 150 scholars around the world — representing 43 countries and 114 universities — selected for the award.

The scholars will focus on the pillars of leadership, global affairs and China in their graduate curriculum, which begins in August next year.

They were selected through a “competitive application process designed to identify leadership potential, intellect and strength of character”, Schwarzman Scholars said in a media statement.

Mr Stephen A Schwarzman, the founding trustee of Schwarzman Scholars, said: “The calibre of this incoming class and their potential fills me with optimism for the future.”

He added: “This year’s selected scholars are keenly interested in learning about China, which is now more important than ever in this complex geopolitical environment. They are ready to engage thoughtfully with global issues and eager to make a positive impact on the world.”

The five scholars from NUS are:

• Mr Htet Myet Min Tun, an Asean undergraduate scholar and final-year student majoring in global affairs at Yale-NUS College
• Dr Matthew Chew Sheng Jun, a Singaporean who graduated in 2023 from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine with bachelor of surgery and bachelor of medicine degrees
• Ms Lucy Zhu Xinyu, who graduated in 2022 from Yale-NUS College holding a bachelor of science degree with honours in mathematical, computational and statistical sciences
• Ms Lyn Tay, a Singaporean who graduated from the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in 2021 with a bachelor of science (nursing) degree
• Ms Rachel Juay, a 2021 graduate from the Concurrent Degree Programme offered by Yale-NUS College and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP). The Singaporean holds a bachelor of arts degree with honours in politics, philosophy and economics from Yale-NUS College and a master’s degree in public policy from LKYSPP

Dr Chew, who is working at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, told TODAY that he is looking forward to the exchange of experiences and innovative ideas that he can “bring back to enhance Singapore’s healthcare system”.

“I am particularly enthusiastic about the potential impact the Schwarzman Scholars programme can have on my mission to address Singapore’s evolving healthcare challenges. With our aging population, I see innovative medical technology as a key solution.

“I aspire to gain relevant skills and knowledge that will empower me to continue developing products, ensuring that Singaporeans live healthier, fuller, and happier lives.”

On “learning within China”, Dr Chew added: “China’s meteoric rise has been on the backs of revolutionary innovative approaches and technologies, and I hope to have the chance to experience and adopt their ideas and approaches to my own practice as a doctor, entrepreneur and innovator.”

Ms Tay, a registered nurse, said: “The Schwarzman scholarship came at a perfect time as I was working on expanding my work in mental health and social causes across the region.

“I look forward to collaborating with the Schwarzman Scholars community, which comprises many equally passionate individuals from diverse fields across the world.” 

The five would form NUS’ largest cohort of Schwarzman Scholars in a single year, the university said in a press statement on Tuesday (Dec 19).

To date, 15 NUS students and alumni have been admitted to the programme since its establishment in 2013.

“Aside from being taught by leading faculty from Tsinghua and other internationally recognised universities, they will attend lectures delivered by prominent global thought leaders,” NUS said.

The university added that the graduate programme would also include mentoring, internships and experiential learning, with “career development provided to help the scholars lead and excel in various fields upon graduation”.