Kuala Lumpur, 24 May 2010 – Standard Chartered strengthened its commitment to help cultivate a strong workforce of highly skilled and performance-driven Malaysians for the banking and financial services sector, through the exchange of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between Scope International and Universiti Teknologi MARA, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Since 2007, Scope International, the global technology and operations hub of the Standard Chartered Group, has trained more than 720 undergraduates from 27 institutions of higher learning as part of their final year industrial attachment programme. Seventy five percent of them have successfully been hired as Standard Chartered staff.

Witnessing the MoU exchange was Y.B. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Minister of Higher Education, Malaysia, who said,

“I am delighted to see an organisation like Scope International working closely with these institutions to offer a rich learning and training experience for the undergraduates, thereby producing a highly skilled workforce for the country. Internships at the Scope International Malaysia Academy (SIMA) will provide undergraduates not only with industry-relevant knowledge and give them relevant tools and techniques used by a world-class financial institution, but at the same time provide them with great encouragement and motivation to realise their full potential.”

Prior to the MOU exchange, the four public universities had already been sending their final year students to SIMA industrial training attachments. The MOUs are the formalisation and affirmation of the effectiveness and success of the SIMA programme.

Osman Morad, Managing Director and CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia said,

“We are delighted to establish alliances between Scope International and four premier Malaysian universities to produce a rich pool of highly skilled professionals for the country. Through the exchange of the MoUs, Standard Chartered is re-affirming our commitment to provide opportunities to local graduates who aspire to build fulfilling careers in the banking and financial sector. With a consistent flow of graduates from the universities, Standard Chartered will also be able to sustain a talent-rich pipeline and support the Government’s ambition to transform the country into a Knowledge-based economy.”

Under the SIMA programme, undergraduates embark on 15-week internship programmes, comprising lectures and hands-on training, specializing in International Trade Services, Foreign Exchange and Money Markets, Securities Services, Cash Management Services or Credit and Loan Administration. Additional modules include Strategic Thinking Skills, Risk Management & Compliance and Customer Service Excellence.

Universiti Teknologi MARA is the pioneer partnering university in the SIMA programme, having signed a three-year MoU with Scope International in early 2007. During today’s ceremony, Universiti Teknologi MARA exchanged a fresh MoU with Scope International to lengthen the successful partnership. In early 2008, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia signed MoUs with University of Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi MARA to fuel the Bank’s talent pipeline, ensuring a constant flow of graduates into the Bank through its Banking Apprentice programme.

Undergraduates who are interested in enrolling in SIMA may apply via www.scopeinternational.com.my or email SIMA.WB-GSSCKL@sc.com