Link Real Estate Investment Trust : 220 Students Awarded Link University Scholarship

• Link awarded scholarships worth $20,000 each to 220 students selected by a panel of 60 esteemed judges from various sectors
• For the first time, awardees include students from self-financing universities and local students admitted through non-JUPAS channels
• Since 2015, Link has awarded 1,160 scholarships totalling $23.2 million, with the aim of promoting upward mobility for Hong Kong youth

Link Asset Management Limited (Link), the manager of Link Real Estate Investment Trust (Link REIT) is pleased to announce that it is awarding the Link University Scholarship, worth $20,000 each, to 220 students who are the first among three generations in their families to attend university in Hong Kong.

Established in 2015, the Link University Scholarship is Link's signature youth empowerment programme. Marking the seventh year of the scheme, Link increased the number of scholarships from 190 to 220 in year 2021/22 and received a record high of 2,050 applications.

Last year, for the first time, Link opened applications to students from three self-financing universities - Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU), Hong Kong Shue Yan University and The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) - in addition to the eight University Grants Committee funded universities in previous years. Local students holding an admission offer through non-Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) channels, such as students holding an associate degree, could also apply for the scholarship.

The 220 awardees come from diverse academic disciplines and ethnicities, and included 13 first-time awardees from HKMU and HSUHK, 11 non-JUPAS students and three all-time scholars (defined as students who received the scholarship for four consecutive years) from Hong Kong Baptist University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Nicholas Allen, Link's Chairman, said:

"We were pleased to see the positivity and resilience demonstrated by the students on Interview Day despite the challenges they face amid the pandemic. By expanding the number of scholarships to include a wider range of applicants, Link hopes to enable more eligible students to pursue an enriching university life by improving their learning opportunities and introducing them to a strong alumni network."

Interview Day was conducted on 20 November 2021. To ensure social distancing was exercised, group interviews were facilitated in a hybrid format, where 312 short-listed applicants met a panel of 60 judges comprising esteemed members from the NGO, business, media, education, public sectors, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and Link who attended physically at Link's headquarters. For the first time, three former all-time scholars were invited back to participate as judges, demonstrating that the spirit of the Link University Scholarship has been carried forward by the younger generation.

The Link University Scholarship is Link's signature youth empowerment programme and part of the Link Together Initiatives. Since its inception in 2015, Link has awarded 1,160 scholarships totalling $23.2 million.

High-resolution pictures of Interview Day can be downloaded here.

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About Link

Link Real Estate Investment Trust (Hong Kong stock code: 823), managed by Link Asset Management Limited, is a leading retail-focused REIT in the world. Listed in 2005 as the first REIT in Hong Kong, Link has been 100% held by public and institutional investors and is a Hang Seng Index constituent stock. From its home in Hong Kong, Link owns and manages a diversified portfolio including retail facilities, car parks, offices and logistics assets spanning China's Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen), Beijing and Shanghai, the UK's London and Australia's Sydney. Link seeks to extend its portfolio growth trajectory and grasp expansion opportunities in different markets in pursuit of its medium-term target Vision 2025.

For details, please visit https://www.linkreit.com.