Shopee, SUTD offer bond-free scholarships to groom local tech talent

THE Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has joined hands with Shopee, the e-commerce arm of Internet company Sea, to nurture Singapore's tech talent pipeline.

The partnership will comprise Shopee-SUTD bond-free scholarships as well as dialogue sessions.

The scholarships will enable "financially disadvantaged" students to pursue an education in technology and design, Shopee and SUTD said in a joint statement on Thursday.

Four Singaporean undergraduates from the university will receive full, four-year scholarships starting from the academic year 2020 intake, to cover their tuition fees and study-related expenses.

Each scholarship is worth S$15,000 annually and will not require recipients to undertake any service or bond requirements.

Meanwhile, Shopee, SUTD and New York-listed Sea will also hold dialogues among themselves to explore more avenues for collaboration. This will combine SUTD's educational expertise with Shopee's industry know-how, regional presence and ecosystem.

The scholarships and dialogues build on Shopee's ongoing initiatives with SUTD, which include internship programmes, knowledge-sharing sessions, and project sponsorships.