Expanding educational opportunities for women in Southeast Asia

Who we are

We are a registered charity dedicated to funding scholarships for women in Southeast Asia, empowering them to access higher education and create brighter futures. The charity’s mission builds on the legacy of Professor Sir Graeme J. Davies, who was deeply committed to expanding educational opportunities throughout his career.

What we aim to do

The charity’s goal is to provide young women in low-income countries in Southeast Asia with the opportunity to pursue higher education, empowering them to achieve their goals and to flourish while contributing meaningfully to their communities. To achieve this, we are actively raising funds for scholarships to ensure the recipients can overcome financial barriers to secure the education, the support, and the opportunities needed to succeed. Through this work, we honour the legacy of Professor Sir Graeme J. Davies and his commitment to expanding access to higher education.

About Sir Graeme

Professor Sir Graeme J. Davies came to the UK from New Zealand in 1962 on a research scholarship and then he spent the rest of his working life in Higher Education in the UK. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool (1986 to 1991); Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council (1991 to 1995); Principal of the University of Glasgow (1995 to 2003), and Vice-Chancellor of the University of London (2003 to 2011). He was knighted in 1996 for his services to Higher Education and he received over a dozen honorary degrees, nationally and internationally, for his contributions to the sector.

Testimonials

  • "Sir Graeme Davies made a lifelong contribution to education in many countries throughout the world. This was especially the case for the people of Vietnam. Sir Graeme was instrumental in forming the British University Vietnam (BUV), which recently became the first university in Vietnam to be awarded an international QS 5 Star quality rating. He was the University’s founding President and Chancellor, as well as the Chair of the University Council. His knowledge and experience in the formation and operation of international universities has been invaluable to BUV and its UK partners. His leadership, dedication, and commitment built the foundations that now facilitate the opportunity for many young Vietnamese and British students to enjoy an international learning experience and form networks and friendships that will last a lifetime. These experiences help shape the future of education and bilateral relations between Vietnam and the UK. On a personal level, Sir Graeme was a mentor and great friend of mine, a man of vision, great experience and a delightful disposition. He had a genuine love for BUV, its staff, and especially its students. Through his foresight and dedication many young Vietnamese students have been given the opportunity to achieve an education that, prior to the development of BUV, they could only dream of – they are now changing the world. He is missed greatly by all at BUV."

    Professor Ray Gordon
    Vice Chancellor & President,
    British University Vietnam

  • "Without Sir Graeme, the British University Vietnam would not be where it is today. His wisdom, guidance and leadership were invaluable. When he joined us, we had a small meeting room within one of our Apollo English language centres that was designated as the University project office. During his time with the University, under his leadership as founding Vice Chancellor, it blossomed from that one small meeting room to a 165 mil USD state of the art campus that today has well in excess of 3000 students. The Vietnam Government always enjoyed meeting with him because they knew he didn't just care for the University. He cared about higher education in Vietnam."

    Khalid Muhmood, MBE and Arabella Peters
    Founders of Dragonfly Education Group
    British University Vietnam

  • “I was fortunate to meet with Sir Graeme on his first trip to Vietnam. I had felt nervous about meeting Sir, but Sir Graeme was so kind and made me feel like we had met before. Later, I was involved in arranging a small group meeting between Sir Graeme and a few media people, VIPs, and loyal Apollo students. Everyone was impressed with his stories and wisdoms, we all felt we went away with some learning. We had the same comments that he was so vibrant for his age and very personal in the way he treated younger generations. We all live once. Sir Graeme’s passing away reminds us that we can lead a meaningful life and make impacts in great ways. Sir Graeme has left international legacies. Many of those people lucky enough to have had his touches will continue to make impacts on their communities and societies. Sir Graeme will be missed.”

    Phan Thi Hoang Hoa,
    Managing Director,
    Sky International Preschool – Vietnam