US body announces scholarship programme for Indian women

WASHINGTON: A top US body in international education and global investment banking has announced a scholarship and mentoring programme for the Indian women university students in science and technology-related fields.

Under the scholarship - 'WeTech Goldman Sachs Scholars' - announced by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and Goldman Sachs, 25 Indian women will receive a merit-based $1,500 scholarships for the 2017-18 school year and be connected with an experienced mentor from Goldman Sachs for a six-month mentorship from June through December 2017, a statement said.

"Engaging women at various stages from their academic years to a career is a critical step in addressing the gender gap often seen in the technology industry," said Shubha Iyer, managing director in the Technology division at Goldman Sachs in Bengaluru.

"IIE and Goldman Sachs believe that providing young women university scholarships toward a degree in a STEM field andoffering real-world career advice has tremendous impact on their ability to thrive in the global workforce," said Allan Goodman, IIE president and CEO.

"This comes at a time when the tech industry around the world needs more women who are educated and trained to entering into STEM careers and work with peers across many different countries and cultures," Goodman added.