This new scholarship aims to reduce the STEM gender gap in Taiwan and South Korea

It has been widely reported that women are vastly underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields – in the UK, women account for only 14.4 percent of the STEM workforce, while in the U.S., female employees are taking up fewer than a quarter of available STEM jobs.

To address this gender gap, WeTech (Women Enhancing Technology), an education initiative spearheaded by the non-profit Institute of International Education (IIE), has partnered up with wireless technology company Qualcomm to offer scholarships to female undergraduates in South Korea and Taiwan taking STEM subjects.

Through the WeTech Qualcomm Global Scholar program, 30 women studying at selected universities in the two countries will not only receive between US$2,500 to US$3,000 in financial aid, but will also get the opportunity to undertake a one-on-one virtual mentorship with an experienced Qualcomm mentor to help further their professional development.

According to WeTech, the scholarship gives students “an important opportunity to gain academic experience, access to role models, and build professional skills preparing them for a globally competitive world”.

“We believe that providing young women with university scholarships in STEM has tremendous impact on women’s retention and success rate, especially in a time when the global tech industry desperately needs more women trained for STEM careers,” it added.

The scholarship is open to second or third year undergraduates at the following universities: National Cheng Kung University, National Chiao Tung University, National Taiwan University, and National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan; and Ewha Womans University, Sookmyung Woman’s University, Hanyang University, and Soongsil University in South Korea.

Scholarship recipients will also be expected to complete a 6-month virtual mentorship from January through June 2017.

For more information on eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit the program’s website.

Image via Flickr

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