Project profile — Canada-ASEAN scholarships and educational exchanges for development program

The project aims to channel the creativity and the productivity of a new generation of students and young professionals, especially women, to contribute to poverty reduction and inclusive growth within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. More specifically, it seeks to deepen the knowledge and develop practical skills of students or mid-level professionals from the ASEAN region in areas of study that contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Project activities include: (1) providing short-term (up to 8 months) scholarships for study/research for ASEAN students in Canadian post-secondary academic institutions in areas of study that are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals; (2) creating institutional agreements between Canadian and ASEAN post-secondary academic institutions; (3) providing short-term scholarships for ASEAN mid-career professionals working in sectors contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to enhance their knowledge and skills in their area of work; and (4) creating of an alumni network.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased knowledge and skills of youth and young professionals, especially women, in areas that contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and (2) strengthened linkages between ASEAN and Canadian post-secondary academic institutions.

Results achieved as of March 2025 include: (1) awarded 816 short-term scholarships to students, including 60% women, 2% other gender identities, from 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to study in 10 Canadian provinces in a field aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. This includes 188 from Vietnam, 177 from Thailand, 129 from Singapore, 115 from Malaysia, 93 from the Philippines, 72 from Indonesia, 21 from Brunei, 9 from Myanmar, 9 from Cambodia, and 3 from Laos. The most recent cohort (2024 to 2025) is the largest annual cohort to date with 200 scholarships distributed to eligible students from the ASEAN region during the academic year; (2) facilitated institutional agreements and collaborations between 50 post-secondary institutions in Canada and 62 in the ASEAN region in 2024 to 2025; and (3) awarded 4 short-term scholarships to mid-career professionals from Cambodia working in sectors that contribute to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.