HAVING awareness in renewable energy and low-carbon fuel, Petronas Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Marketing and Trading executive Diana Shakila Abdul Sukor, 27, hopes to tackle climate change and carbon emission.
Diana is one of the Chevening recipients from Malaysia this year, who will be pursuing her Master’s degree in the United Kingdom from next month.
“This has been a long-term dream and a challenging year-long process,” she said.
Feeling ecstatic, Diana said she had been eyeing Chevening scholarships for four years and was waiting for the right time to apply.
Before venturing into the oil and gas field, she worked at non-profit organisation Teach for Malaysia for two years as an associate talent acquisition.
Diana who will be pursuing Master in Climate Change, Management and Finance at Imperial College London, hopes to advocate and promote natural gas as a clean energy for a better future.
“I want to study climate change as it is a niche field of study that the world needs. There is a strong awareness about this in Europe and more developed countries but, there are very few specialists in Malaysia. With oil and gas being a major economic activity of our country, I think it is important that we care about this,” she said.
“More countries are becoming concerned with energy transition. My work in LNG has exposed me to the importance of having clean energy sources in place. This is why I chose to study this programme at Imperial College London.”
During the selection, Diana had to juggle between work and application process, including writing essays and attending interviews. Determined, she planned ahead and laid down a timeline.
“I started by narrowing down the schools and programmes to which I wanted to apply. I spoke to previous successful Chevening scholars to find out what qualities Chevening is looking for in an applicant.
“I would camp out at coffee shops during the weekends to write my essays. On the weekdays, thanks to time differences, interviews and phone calls with the UK could be scheduled in the evening after working hours.
“Between my job and applying for my Master’s, it feels like I have been working non-stop in this past year. I am glad everything is almost done. I look forward to starting classes in London next month.”
Diana described herself as a community-driven person.
“With my background and experience of working in a non-profit organisation, I have always been motivated to contribute to the nation. Although I am working in the private sector, but my number one aspiration has always been about nation building and serving the community.”
Pemandu Associates vice-president Abdulmuiz Abd Aziz, 36, is also a recipient of the prestigious scholarship.
Similarly, he hopes to contribute to the country in future once he comes back from the UK after studying Sustainable Development in University of St Andrews.
“It was a highly competitive and tough process. I was happy and humbled when I found out that I was selected,” he said.
“The country needs more experts in this area. A lot of our policy-making focus mainly on economics and social development, but I think sustainable development and environmental protection are just as important.
“Sustainable development is an emerging field. I want to bring new business models in this area through public-policy advising and think tanks.”
Forty-five of Malaysia’s high-achievers have been selected to pursue their postgraduate studies in the UK for the 2018/2019
academic session.
British High Commissioner to Malaysia Vicki Treadell said: “I am particularly pleased to note that three scholarships have been awarded this year to individuals who will be studying climate change, sustainable development and environment. These are essential subjects for the future well-being of our world.
“Malaysia’s growing appetite for higher education in the UK is reflected in the increase in Chevening Scholarships applications.
“We received a record of 754 applications for the 2018/2019 session compared with 701 applications last year.
“If we increased from last year by 50, I hope that the number of applicants for next year will breach 800.
“Each year, applicants selected from Malaysia will be around 40 to 50, which is one of the highest number of Chevening scholarships per capita in the world.”
She was speaking at the pre-departure briefing and reception for the scholars.
“I hope that they have a rich experience in terms of personal development and the networks that they will create by being a Chevening scholar. The batch from Malaysia will be joining many other young people from across the world.”
There are approximately 19,000 Malaysians studying in the UK and 79,000 students studying for a UK qualification in Malaysia.
Treadell described education as one of the most enduring aspects of the UK-Malaysia partnership.
Selected scholars will be heading to the UK as early as next month to pursue a wide range of Master’s programmes at top UK universities, with the aim of returning to Malaysia to make significant contribution in different areas.
The Chevening award is the UK government’s global scholarship programme offered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In addition to the British government’s funding, corporate partners including BAE Systems, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd, the Prudence Foundation (community investment arm of Prudential), HSBC, Yayasan Khazanah and British universities are on board to provide additional funding in support of the programme.