UK Awards Chevening Scholarships To 35 Malaysians, Including First Asean Recipient

By Wan Muhammad Aslah Wan Razali

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- A total of 35 Malaysian scholars have been awarded the prestigious Chevening scholarship to pursue their postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom for the 2025/26 academic year.

This year’s cohort comprises 34 scholars who will embark on one-year Master’s programmes at leading UK universities. It includes a recipient of the Chevening ASEAN Scholarship alongside one Chevening Fellow affiliated with the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

Davina Devarajan has been named the first Malaysian recipient of the Chevening ASEAN Scholarship, introduced last year to provide an additional slot for each ASEAN country and a specially curated experience, including participation in the ASEAN Chevening Conference.

Davina, who will pursue a Master’s in Environment and Sustainable Development at University College London (UCL), said she was honoured to be given the opportunity to represent both Malaysia and ASEAN in the UK.

“I was quite surprised, to be fair, but I’m very excited to be able to represent ASEAN when I’m in the UK and to be able to represent ASEAN issues as well when I’m conversing with other Chevening scholars and other individuals that I meet,” she told Bernama at the Chevening Scholarships Pre-Departure Reception hosted by the British High Commission in Malaysia, on Friday.

She expressed hope that her time in the UK would enable her to foster stronger collaboration among ASEAN countries on climate justice and human rights, while bringing back knowledge to support better coordination within the region.

Davina said her goal is to encourage ASEAN nations to work collectively on just transition issues that benefit Malaysia and the wider region, while ensuring the country’s energy transition and climate adaptation policies are effectively implemented, particularly for low-income communities.

“I want to bring back expertise from my course to shape policies that address the needs of marginalised communities while driving economic growth,” she said, noting that the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and business and human rights policies will be her focus.

Fellow scholar Alexander Jong Jiun Wei, who will be pursuing an MSc in Advanced Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London, said the Chevening programme will enable him to contribute to sustainable innovation in Malaysia’s manufacturing sector.

He said the Chevening scholarship offers a world-class education and a prestigious network that would accelerate his growth and contribution to the digital transformation for sustainable intelligent manufacturing to meet diverse customer needs. 

He added that he looks forward to accessing cutting-edge facilities and research resources that will enable innovative, sustainable manufacturing ideas to be translated into practical solutions.

Meanwhile, Faizin Nasrin Md Rejab, who will pursue an LLM in International Economic Law at the University of Edinburgh, said her programme will strengthen Malaysia’s capacity to shape global legal frameworks.

She chose Edinburgh for its expertise in international economic law and its focus on the intersection of trade, development, and human rights. The programme, she added, will enhance her ability to analyse global frameworks and adapt them to the Malaysian context.

“I hope to bring home insights that support inclusive policy reforms, strengthen legal protections, and contribute to building a more resilient and equitable economy, while advancing Malaysia’s capacity to shape and uphold the rule of law internationally,” she said.

Malaysia is the second-largest recipient of Chevening awards in ASEAN, with over 2,000 alumni nationwide.

Applications for the next cycle of Chevening scholarships are open until Oct 7, 2025. Details are available at www.chevening.org/malaysia.

-- BERNAMA