Three brilliant young people have been awarded scholarships worth over RM127,300 after emerging victorious at the Next Generation Innovations international student competition. The competition, which was hosted by leading international education specialist, Study Group, concluded its finale at Sunway Resort, with 8 finalists from schools across Southeast Asia.
Next Generation Innovations, Study Group’s inaugural international student competition, aims to provide opportunities for driven students to secure scholarships for their higher education in the UK. Students were required to create a 5,000-word project proposal showcasing how they plan to use their higher education to make a difference in the world. These projects spanned topics from engineering to health sciences and business.
The winning project, DivorceDialogue, by Stephanie Jane Magbitang from the Philippines, captivated all judges with its innovative fusion of business and advocacy to benefit her local community. She expressed her excitement after being crowned champion, “It’s a dream come true! I’m grateful for the judges’ feedback and can’t wait to use this scholarship to further my studies at the University of Sheffield. I’m so grateful that applying through Study Group has given me access to scholarships like these to help me study in the UK!”
With this scholarship, Stephanie will be attending her International Foundation Year at Study Group’s University of Sheffield International College this upcoming September, before progressing to her first year studying Law at the University of Sheffield in 2025.
The second runner-up project, Superheroes Need Saving Too: Innovative Dual-Chip Tracker and a Cross-Border Protection System for Overseas Workers, by Crescia San Angel from the Philippines creatively merged modern engineering with advocacy for the protection of overseas foreign workers. Crescia will be entering her International Foundation Year this upcoming November, at Study Group’s Durham University International Study Centre to progress towards her first year in International Relations at Durham University in 2025.
The third runner-up project, Pangéstu, by Vanessa Shannon Suryandi from Indonesia, inspired wellness with an innovative approach towards revitalising wellness tourism in Indonesia ethically. Vanessa will be entering her International Foundation Year at Study Group’s University of Sheffield International College this upcoming September, to progress towards her first year studying Business at the University of Sheffield in 2025.The Next Generation Innovations competition serves as a platform that increases students’ access to top-notch academic opportunities on a global scale. International student competitions have a rich history of establishing environments where students can engage with peers and mentors from diverse locations, to broaden their perspectives and build valuable networks. By creating these opportunities for students, Study Group advocates for accessible global higher education, while fostering a culture of inclusivity and collaboration.
This competition officially launched on 22 April 2024, and students were required to submit their project proposals by 30 June 2024. The panel of judges, which included professors and industry experts, selected the top 8 finalists who were invited on a sponsored trip to Malaysia for the finals event. Here, the finalists pitched their ideas in a 15-minute presentation followed by a riveting Q&A session. The first, second and third place winners were then awarded scholarships worth as follows:
| Scholarship Amount | In RM | |
| First Place | £8,000 | RM48,417.70 |
| Second Place | £7,000 | RM42,365.48 |
| Third Place | £6,000 | RM36,312.48 |
Following the success of Next Generation Innovations, Study Group is committed to hosting the competition annually as part of their mission to create more opportunities for students to achieve their academic goals. Professor Elena Rodriguez-Falcón, Chief Academic Officer of Study Group said, “We are thrilled with the outcome of this year’s competition. It is inspiring to witness the creativity and passion of these young minds. We at Study Group remain committed to ensuring that students around the world have increasing opportunities to access global higher education with our renowned partner schools.”For more information about Study Group, visit https://studygroup.com
