On 7 November 2018, the School of Graduate Studies, UPM organized UPM-SEARCA Joint Graduate Scholarship Award Ceremony 2018. This yearly event was conducted to present the Joint Graduate Scholarship to two new UPM award recipients, Mr. Philip Donald Cabuga Sanchez (Master) from the Faculty of Engineering, and Mr. Kiet Hong Vo Tuan Truong (PhD) from the Institute of Agriculture and Food Policy Studies. The event also recognized the collaboration between UPM and SEARCA for the award of scholarships to UPM graduate students.
The scholarship award was presented to the recipients by the Dean of Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Dr. Nor Kamariah Noordin. Representatives from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma (Program Head, Graduate Education and Institutional Development, SEARCA) and Ms. Mary Grace A. Aquino (Program Specialist, SEARCA) were also present during the ceremony.
UPM-SEARCA Joint Graduate Scholarship is offered by UPM and SEARCA through an agreement signed on 11 November 2016. The scholarship awards recipient with a full tuition waiver in UPM for a period of 3 years for PhD and 2 years for Master. Financial assistance for monthly stipend, books, research, health insurance, flight, student visa and pass are provided by SEARCA.
In conjunction with the award ceremony, SEARCA also conducted an orientation for new and ongoing UPM-SEARCA scholars. The 23 scholars attended the meeting were briefed on the requirements and expectations of the scholarship as well as SEARCA's upcoming activities and programmes.
Mr. Truong Hong Vu Tuan Kiet (center) and Mr. Philip Donald Sanchez (fourth from right), both new SEARCA-UPM scholars, hold their scholarship certificates after the handover ceremony on 7 November 2018. With them are (from left) Mr. Saiful Azlin Maskan of UPM, Ms. Mary Grace A. Aquino, Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma, and (from right) Dr. Norhashila Binti Hashim, Dr. Nor Azowa Ibrahim, and Dr. Nor Kamariah Noordin, all of UPM.