Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund 38th Awards Presentation Ceremony held today
The following is issued on behalf of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency:
The 38th Awards Presentation Ceremony of the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund (SEYMF) was held at Hong Kong City Hall today (March 16). Nine hundred and fifty-eight students, four apprentices and five working adults were presented with scholarships and awards.
Officiating at the ceremony were the Chairman of the SEYMF Council, Mr Ma Ching-cheng, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ms Kwan Sau-ha, and other members of the Council and the Board of Trustees.
In Lady Youde's message for the ceremony, she remarked, "The Fund has already disbursed more than $269 million. Over 880 000 students have received our awards or joined our sponsored activities. It has been a privilege to see how the Fund has made it possible for our young people, as well as more mature working adults, to take on new challenges and fulfil their ambitions."
In the 2024/25 academic year, the Fund disbursed $2.94 million. The awards presented this year included one fellowship award for overseas studies ($300,000); one overseas fellowship for a disabled student ($300,000); three fellowships for local postgraduate students ($50,000 each); six scholarships for local undergraduate students ($40,000 each); one local scholarship for a disabled undergraduate student ($40,000); six medals for students who achieved outstanding results in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination ($5,000 each); 928 prizes for senior secondary school students and 12 prizes for students of the Vocational Training Council ($1,000 each); four awards for outstanding apprentices ($5,000 each); and five awards for working adults who underwent retraining and successfully applied what they learned in their new positions ($5,000 each).
Competition for overseas fellowships and scholarships for the 2025/26 academic year was extremely keen. Among 187 applicants, Miss Suen Tsz-ching was selected as the awardee of the overseas fellowship. She is currently a judicial assistant at the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal and intends to pursue a Master of Laws degree at Harvard University in the United States.
The recipient of the 2025/26 overseas fellowship for disabled students is Miss Poon Sze-ling of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She intends to pursue a Master's degree in Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.
The six students who were awarded the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Medals for outstanding results in the 2024 HKDSE Examination are:
(1) Mr Wong Shue-hei of St Paul's Co-Educational College;
(2)Mr Liu Chun-cheung Ander of St Joseph's College;
(3)Miss Leung Ying-hin of TWGHs Wong Fut Nam College;
(4)Mr Choy Ching-hei of Queen's College;
(5) Mr Chan Hei-ching of Baptist Lui Ming Choi Secondary School; and
(6) Miss Ho Nga-chi of Diocesan Girls' School.
The four apprentices, nominated by the Director of Apprenticeship, who received the Outstanding Apprentice Awards are:
(1)Miss Chung Hiu-ying, who attained a Diploma of Vocational Education - Earn and Learn Scheme (Electrical Engineering) and is currently a technician II;
(2)Mr Wong Chi-wai, who attained a Higher Diploma in Computer and Electronic Engineering and is currently a technician;
(3)Mr Wong Wai-cheung, who attained a Higher Diploma in Building Services Engineering and is currently an assistant electrical and mechanical engineer; and
(4)Mr Yung Tsz-hung, who attained a Certificate of Vocational Education (Electrical Engineering) and is currently an assistant technician.
The five working adults, nominated by the Employees Retraining Board and the Construction Industry Council, who received the Awards for Self-Improvement for Working Adults are:
(1)Mr Chan Kwok-fai, who completed a Certificate in Health Worker Training and is currently a night-shift dormitory assistant;
(2)Mr Lee Chi-ho, who completed a Certificate in Site Surveying and is currently an assistant surveyor;
(3)Mr Poon Yuk-pui, who completed a Foundation Certificate in Exhibition Booth Setting and Decoration and is currently a leveller;
(4)Mr Tse Chi-wing, who completed a Foundation Certificate in Electrical Generator Technician Trainee Training (Tailor-Made Course) and is currently a generation trainee; and
(5)Ms Tsoi Mei-shuen, who completed a Foundation Certificate in Physical Fitness Instructor Training (Physical Fitness Foundation Certification Open Examination) and is currently the founder and chief executive officer of a cross-curriculum physical fitness social enterprise.
Since its inception, the SEYMF has supported around 31 500 Hong Kong students under its major schemes. Over 2 890 scholars and fellows have completed their studies and are now working in different sectors in Hong Kong, contributing to the well-being and development of society.
In 2024/25, the Fund continued to provide an annual sponsorship of $600,000 towards the Young Friends of the Hong Kong Arts Festival to increase the exposure of secondary school and tertiary students to performing arts. During the year, around 4 200 students became members of the Young Friends, and around 11 000 students participated in various programmes and activities under this scheme.
