Although students from Elizabeth Moir School still go to the traditional bastions of academic excellence – such as Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial in the UK, and Harvard and other Ivy League colleges in the USA – increasing numbers are also choosing to go to the emerging intellectual powerhouses of the future in Singapore, Japan, Korea and China. Over the last three years, four of their students have won full Scholarships to Hong Kong University so we decided to find out more about the exciting new opportunities available for Sri Lankan students.
Hong Kong University was ranked 22nd in the world in the latest QS World University Rankings, the highest ranked university in Asia and the top university outside Europe and North America. Situated on a beautiful campus on Hong Kong Island, the university has an international reputation for its research and attracts some of the best academics from around the world. It boasts that its new graduates have a 100% employment rate for each of the past five years, a record any university in the world would be proud of.
Kaamil Ur Rahman was the first Elizabeth Moir School student to go to Hong Kong. Kaamil won a full Scholarship after gaining 4 A grades at A Level, with an average of 98% across his four subjects, including an incredible 100% in Biology.
At Hong Kong, Kaamil defeated top scientists from both HKU and other universities to win the Hong Kong Grand Final of FameLab.
This led to his taking part in the International Final in the UK and a further competition in India. One of his winning presentations showed he had not forgotten his Sri Lankan roots: it was on ‘The Wonders of Chilli’!
Kaamil’s younger brother, Jameel, had a lot to live up to. Although his average A Level mark was ‘only’ 97% and his highest a mere 99.5% in Physics, the introduction of A* grades allowed him to outdo Kaamil’s 4 A grades by gaining 4 A* grades. Looking back on his time at school, Jameel says: ‘Moir was one of the best things that has happened to me. The great teachers and small student body allowed everyone the chance to shine.’
Thilini Warnakulasuriya, a classmate of Kaamil’s, was another academic high-flyer, achieving an average of 93% at A Level. She is currently in her second year at Hong Kong studying Architecture and recently won the university’s prestigious award for the most outstanding international student. She says that she remains grateful to ‘all the wonderful teachers who guided me throughout my time at school (and still do now) and helped me to achieve what I have today’.
Naslam Basheer first went to Hong Kong while still at school, at the invitation of Professor Malik Peiris, the world-famous virologist who isolated the SARS virus and the first Sri Lankan to be elected a member of the Royal Society in London. Naslam also averaged over 90% at A Level, earning himself the chance to return to Hong Kong full time.
Professor John Spinks, Senior Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor at Hong Kong, has no doubt why Elizabeth Moir School students are sought after by top universities. He says: ‘I remember so well the first time I went to Elizabeth Moir School because of the welcome I received, which, I reflected at the time, must be a good indicator of how positive the learning and living experience is at this school. We have been proud of every one of the students from Elizabeth Moir who has come to HKU.
They seem to have a common set of competencies firmly rooted in being good citizens, and a uniformey high level of academic achievement that will bode well for them in years to come.’
The University of Hong Kong holds Elizabeth Moir School students in such high regard that the school is now asked to recommend students for scholarships on an annual basis.
This year, six students have been offered scholarships and given the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of trailblazers like Kaamil, Thilini, Jameel and Naslam; no doubt many others will follow in the years to come.
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