A ceremony to award Oyu Tolgoi scholarships to promising Mongolian students for the academic year 2014-2015 took place today at the Blue Sky Tower.
As in previous years, the qualification process for Oyu Tolgoi’s international and national scholarships began in September. This year 38 students qualified and received their certificates. Seventeen of the recipients study at the University of Science and Technology, ten at the Mongolian National University, and the remainder at the Technology School, Orkhon and the Agricultural University in Darkhan Uul aimag. This year an occupational hygiene student
from the Health Sciences University of Mongolia qualified for the programme for the first time. The most popular subject amongst recipients is civil engineering with seven students enrolled.
At the awards ceremony, G.Batsukh, Chairman of the Board of Oyu Tolgoi LLC said, “Oyu Tolgoi is not just a company which produces and exports copper concentrate. It is a company which contributes to converting natural resources into human capital. In the education sector alone, the company spent US$123 million over the last four years. Let the scholarship students develop great minds with unlimited knowledge for the benefit of our country.”
This year, three students qualified for international scholarships. They will study mining, environmental science and electrical engineering in the US, Canada and Australia. Oyu Tolgoi will spend MNT295 million on the national scholarship programme and US$180 thousand on international scholarships.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Andrew Woodley, President and CEO of Oyu Tolgoi said, “Helping people to get education is truly inspiring. I am confident that the results of this investment in people will be immense. We are very pleased to support the education sector.”
Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi CEO D.Ganbold added, “Oyu Tolgoi makes a very large contribution to Mongolia’s budget. In addition to taxes paid, the company also invests in many sectors besides mining. This relieves a corresponding amount of burden from the state while assisting progress and development. This has helped Oyu Tolgoi to become the face and image of Mongolia.”
P.Erkhembulgan, Head of the Higher Education department of the Ministry of Education and Science said, “Oyu Tolgoi is very proactive and effective in its cooperation with the Mongolian education sector. The construction of Nalaikh Technical College for US$10 million is just one example. I would like to advise the students to study well and be worthy of the trust placed in you.”
Scholarship recipient B. Erdenebaatar who is studying in his final year at the Mechanical Transport school of the University of Science and Technology said that he will do his best to study and become a world class specialist.
Oyu Tolgoi scholarships cover tuition fees, monthly stipends of MNT200,000, dormitory fees and travel costs for students from the countryside. As long as the students’ studies go well, the scholarship continues until graduation and an opportunity is provided for a paid internship at Oyu Tolgoi. Oyu Tolgoi international scholarships cover full tuition fees, dormitory accommodation, health insurance, visa fees and travel expenses. In addition, Oyu Tolgoi pays a monthly stipend and covers the cost of books and study materials, greatly helping the students.
In 2010, Oyu Tolgoi and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a programme to create a highly competent national workforce for the Mongolian mining industry and other sectors. In accordance with the MoU, Oyu Tolgoi plans to grant a total of 200 national and 30 international scholarships by the end of 2015. To date, 23 students have been granted international scholarships and 170 students national scholarships.