Singaporeans presented with Chevening Scholarships

Ms Loh Yin Shan and Ms Ili Kaiyisah Binte Mohammad Rahan, recipients of the 2020/2021 Chevening Awards, are pursuing Masters-level courses at UK universities.

British High Commissioner to Singapore Kara Owen presenting Ms Ili Kaiyisah Binte Mohammad Rahan with the Chevening Award at Eden Hall. Image Source: UK govt website

Oct 2, The British High Commission Singapore announces today (2 October) two young, outstanding Singaporeans as recipients of the 2020/2021 Chevening Awards.

Ms Loh Yin Shan, 32, and Ms Ili Kaiyisah Binte Mohammad Rahan, 28, are this year’s successful applicants from Singapore for the Chevening programme, which gives future leaders an opportunity to study in the UK, helping them develop academically and professionally.

Over 50,000 professionals from around the world have studied in the UK through the Chevening programme since 1983.

Notable Chevening alumni from Singapore include Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, Singapore mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, and world-record breaking wheelchair racer Dr William Tan.

Yesterday, Her Excellency Kara Owen presented Ms Loh and Ms Ili Kaiyisah with their Chevening Awards, during a private event held at Eden Hall, the official residence of the British High Commissioner.

British High Commissioner to Singapore Kara Owen presenting Ms Loh Yin Shan with the Chevening Award at Eden Hall. Image Source: UK govt website

Ms Loh is an Assistant Director at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and on the founding team of an award-winning social change consultancy, Conjunct Consulting. She is currently a mentor to female students in the university through the Young Women’s Leadership Connection platform.

She is pursuing an MBA in Business Administration at the University of Cambridge, which has also awarded her the Forté Foundation Fellows Scholarship in recognition of exceptional female candidates. Ms Loh is also a recipient of the Boston Consulting Group’s Women’s MBA Fellowship.

“Doing my MBA will equip me with a vast array of management skills, including strategic thinking and problem-solving. At Cambridge, I’ll also be working with renowned professors and I can tap on the minds of my talented classmates. This will increase my ability to make an impact in Singapore’s public and social sectors,” Ms Loh said.

Ms Ili Kaiyisah is a Senior Research Analyst with an interest in developing sustainable economic development models for companies. She is studying for an MSc in Environment and Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

She has worked closely with Consumer Goods companies on sustainability-focused business insights and is a seasoned public speaker on circular economy processes and mindful consumerism in Southeast Asia.

“After completing my Masters, I hope to leverage my multi-disciplinary background in research to deepen the collaboration between corporate, NGOs and governmental actors and create a sustainable development framework for the region,” Ms Ili Kaiyisah said.

The Chevening Scholarship supports successful applicants to pursue a Master’s-level course at a university of their choosing.

Applications for study in 2021-2022 are open until 3 November 2020.