Zafin, a leading global banking technology company, has launched their inaugural Aspire & Achieve global scholarships valued at more than Rsfour lakh ($5,000) each, for female students pursuing a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) course with the intent to encourage and develop next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators.
Under the scholarship program, four exceptional female students, one from each of the geographies where Zafin operates, namely India, APAC, EMEA and Americas, and who are currently enrolled in a Bachelors or Masters program with an accredited university, will be awarded the scholarship aimed at improving diversity and inclusivity in STEM.
Qualifying STEM majors include AI, automation, biometry/biometrics, computer engineering, computer forensics science, computer programming, computer science, computer systems, cyber security, chemical engineering, data analytics, electrical engineering, electronics engineering, geospatial science, industrial engineering, information science, IT, information resource management, quantum computing, mathematics, machine learning, mechanical engineering, network engineering, network security, operations research, physics, robotics engineering, robotics technology, statistics, strategic intelligence and telecommunications engineering.
“Besides receiving educational support, scholarship winners will also have an opportunity to intern with Zafin. By 2025, Gen Z will make up one third of the workforce. The internship is designed to help young talent get hands on experience and exposure to a rapidly transforming sector like banking technology”, said Suja Chandy, Managing Director, Zafin (India).
Eligible students can apply for this scholarship until November 30 through the Aspire &Achieve platform on the Zafin website. Winners will be announced by late January of 2024.
Suja Chandy said Zafin is committed to fostering a capable, diverse and inclusive engineering /tech workforce. Girls pursuing STEM courses in tertiary education account for only 18 per cent compared to 35 per cent of boys globally, leading to a dearth of female talent in the technology workforce. In India, while the figures are higher with women making up 43 per cent of engineering grads, almost 50 per cent leave the workforce by their mid thirties. Diversity fuels innovation, and we are committed to bridging the gender gap in the technology sector, she added.