One lucky student set to embark on Japanese scholarship backed by Aberdeen Standard Investments

The process of selecting a student from Scotland to embark on a “transformative” learning experience in Japan as the winner of a scholarship backed by Aberdeen Standard Investments is about to begin.

Big in Japan - 2019 Thomas Blake Glover ASI Scholarship winner Daniel Robertson from Edinburgh. Picture: Contributed

Applications have been received, and 36 students from universities across Scotland are vying to be the next recipient of the prestigious Thomas Blake Glover ASI Scholarship.

For the last decade, the scholarship has been funded by Aberdeen Standard Investments to promote connections between eastern and western cultures by enabling one lucky student the chance to experience Japanese education and business.

Callum Farquhar of the Japan Society of Scotland said: "We have an equal mix of male and female applicants who are studying a richly diverse range of courses, including aeronautical engineering, filmmaking, cybersecurity, accountancy and theology. We will begin the interviewing process in the new year.

"The standard of entries remains exceptionally high, which reflects on the unique experience this scholarship offers, so it’s going to be a difficult task for the selection panel to pick the 2020 winner."

2019 winner Daniel Robertson from Edinburgh spent his summer in Japan and said: "My connections and experiences on the Thomas Blake Glover Scholarship transformed my ability to speak Japanese and deepened my desire to work in Japan for a longer period.

"Without the sponsorship of Aberdeen Standard Investments and the support of the Japan Society of Scotland, such an extended, immersive experience would be beyond me. I hope that I can continue to forge links between Scotland and Japan, both professionally and personally."

The scholarship was created in recognition of the work of Thomas Blake Glover, the Aberdeenshire-born entrepreneur credited with opening Japan up to the West.