Tuesday 29/07/2025

^{(From left) Kularetnam Vijayakumar, Chief Executive Officer of Yayasan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Foundation, and Nor Ainiza Ngadimin, Manager, Sponsorship Unit, University of Nottingham Malaysia, at the Residential Camp of the Closing The Gap programme.}


76 high potential students will receive two-year mentorship to pursue tertiary education under Closing The Gap programme


KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama) -- CIMB Foundation has partnered with Yayasan Tunku Abdul Rahman (“YTAR”) to support high-potential and deserving secondary students in their journey to tertiary education through the 2025 Closing The Gap programme (“the Programme”). The two-year programme aims to empower 76 students in Form 4 to Form 6 across the Klang Valley, including those from Projek Perumahan Rakyat (“PPR”) communities adopted by CIMB with mentorship, life skills and academic guidance to nurture their talents.

Closing The Gap is designed to assist students in discovering their academic and career goals, and equipping them with the necessary tools to achieve their ambitions. The Programme delivers a structured, long-term experience encompassing one-on-one mentoring, hands-on workshops, university residential camps, and tailored career coaching. The Scholars were selected based on demonstrated resilience, leadership qualities, academic potential, and financial need.

The Scholars will receive personalised support to help them overcome common barriers to accessing higher education including lack of information, soft skills, emotional confidence, role models, and financial constraints. By the end of the two-year journey, they will be better equipped to make informed decisions on their tertiary education pathways, selecting suitable higher education programmes and applying for scholarships that align with their academic aspirations.

Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Foundation said, “Closing The Gap is a meaningful programme to nurture our youth who are potential future leaders by equipping them with the right tools, knowledge, and skills they need to succeed in their post-school phase. At CIMB Foundation, we believe in the transformative power of education, and are proud to support a programme that is structured to uplift communities through long-term, sustainable impact.”

“In today’s evolving landscape, it is essential for students to not only excel academically, but also understand the industry demands, while gaining clarity on their personal interests and strengths before making informed decisions on their academic and career pathways,” he added.

Kularetnam Vijayakumar, Chief Executive Officer of YTAR said, “With the support of CIMB Foundation, we are able to provide long-term and structured support to help high-potential and high need secondary school students overcome barriers to achieve their higher education aspirations. We believe that supporting students to access higher education is transformative not just for students themselves, but also for their families and communities as it improves their employment prospects, earning potential, wellbeing and their civic engagement. We have witnessed this impact firsthand through our alumni who have pursued diverse pathways both locally and internationally, securing over RM21 million in financial aid and scholarships. We believe that extending this targeted support to more students will help them shape better future for themselves, their communities and Malaysia.

The Programme is delivered through a structured mentoring framework, with each Scholar paired with a dedicated mentor for tailored guidance. In the first year, Scholars undergo a process of self-discovery and exploring their strengths and interests, and potential education and career pathways. In the second year, the focus shifts towards execution. The journey is facilitated through 12 curated sessions, equipping them with practical tools and strategies needed to achieve their goals. The Programme is also complemented by a five-day immersive university experience designed to inspire ambitions and broaden perspectives, while preparing scholars to thrive in their chosen higher education pathways.

The Scholars were selected through a comprehensive outreach initiative involving schools and PPR communities across the Klang Valley. The selection process prioritised students who demonstrated grit, resilience in overcoming challenges, and a strong commitment to pursuing higher education. Candidates were assessed holistically, taking into consideration their socio-economic backgrounds, with preference given to those from high-need households.

To ensure each Scholar receives meaningful and personalised support, the Programme engages a network of dedicated volunteer mentors, comprising professionals from diverse industries including CIMB employees, who bring valuable experience and perspective to the mentoring journey.

As part of CIMB’s Kita Bagi Jadi Komuniti platform, the 2025 cohort of Closing The Gap marks another milestone in CIMB Foundation’s ongoing commitment to educational empowerment and socioeconomic advancement, reaffirming the Foundation’s belief that equal access to quality education is a catalyst for long term, inclusive change in society.

About CIMB
CIMB is one of ASEAN’s leading banking groups and Malaysia’s second largest financial services provider, by assets. Listed on Bursa Malaysia via CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, it had a market capitalisation of approximately RM88.0 billion at 31 March 2025. It offers consumer banking, commercial banking, wholesale banking, transaction banking, Islamic banking and asset management products and services. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the Group is present in ASEAN nations in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Philippines.

Beyond ASEAN, the Group has market presence in China, Hong Kong and UK. CIMB has one of the most extensive retail branch networks in ASEAN with 592 branches and over 33,000 employees as at 31 March 2025. CIMB’s investment banking arm is one of the largest Asia Pacific-based investment banks, which together with its award-winning treasury & markets and corporate banking units comprise the Group’s leading wholesale banking franchise. CIMB is also the 92.5% shareholder of Bank CIMB Niaga in Indonesia, and 94.8% shareholder of CIMB Thai in Thailand.

SOURCE: CIMB Group

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Anis Azharuddin / Kelvin Jude Muthu
Group Corporate Communications
CIMB Group Holdings Berhad
Email: anis.azharuddin@cimb.com / kelvinjude.muthu@cimb.com

--BERNAMA