• Mapletree expands support for tertiary education to Hong Kong SAR with the Group’s first endowed donation to an overseas university
• Mapletree is CityU’s first corporate donor from Singapore to make an endowed donation

SINGAPORE/HONG KONG – Mapletree Investments (“Mapletree” or “the Group”) has donated HK$2 million (~S$350,000) to City University of Hong Kong (“CityU”) to establish the Mapletree Endowed Fund. The Fund will support two CityU scholarship schemes, which are named as the Mapletree Scholarships and the Mapletree Exchange Scholarships, to recognise CityU students with outstanding academic achievements, as well as support qualified students to participate in exchange programmes. 

This endowment is the first endowed donation to an overseas university by Mapletree and is in line with the Group’s Mapletree Academic Achievement Programme (MAAP) launched in September 2015. MAAP sponsors selected graduation book prizes and recognises students’ academic excellence in fields relevant to Mapletree’s business. Mapletree is the first corporate donor from Singapore to make an endowed donation to CityU. 

Mr Hiew Yoon Khong, Mapletree Group Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are grateful that Hong Kong is one of our key markets in Asia, and it is opportune to give back to the community there. In this regard, we are happy to kick start the programme with CityU as it is directly connected to Festival Walk at Kowloon Tong, which is one of Mapletree’s landmark properties in Hong Kong SAR. It is our wish that the scholarships will encourage the recipients to explore their horizons, especially under the Mapletree Exchange Scholarships.” 

Professor Matthew Lee Kwok-on, CityU Vice-President (Development and External Relations) expressed his heartfelt thanks to the generous donation made by Mapletree. “The donations will provide significant resources for supporting our students who have brilliant academic results as well as providing staunch financial support for students in joining outbound exchange activities,” Professor Lee said. 

A cheque presentation ceremony was held on Thursday, 18 July 2019 at CityU. Guests who attended the ceremony include Mr Chua Tiow Chye, Mapletree Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer; Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Mapletree Group Chief Corporate Officer; Ms Wendy Lee, Head of Lease Management and Tenant Relations, Festival Walk; Professor Lee and Mr Gavin Kwok Man-kit, Director (Development Office) of CityU.

(L-R) Mr Gavin Kwok Man-kit, Director (Development Office) of CityU, Professor Matthew Lee Kwok-on, CityU Vice-President (Development and External Relations), Mr Chua Tiow Chye, Mapletree’s Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer and Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Mapletree’s Group Chief Corporate Officer at the cheque presentation ceremony on 18 July 2019.

Professor Matthew Lee presented a souvenir to Mr Chua Tiow Chye.

Mr Chua Tiow Chye presented a token from Mapletree to Professor Matthew Lee.

Commencing Academic Year 2020, a maximum of eight scholarships will be given out per annum. Out of the eight scholarships, four will be designated to students who have joined the University’s student exchange programme and the other four will be awarded to students who have achieved excellent academic performance. Students with qualified financial needs will be given priority. 

Mapletree has been a strong supporter of education, as it is one of the four pillars of the Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility framework. Apart from the MAAP, Mapletree has accumulatively contributed more than S$3 million to the endowment funds of all six universities in Singapore – National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore University of Social Sciences since 2010. The funds offer financial support to over 90 university students annually through bursaries and study grants.