We are thrilled to share that last week, on 22 August, Asian University for Women (AUW) welcomed its largest-ever cohort of Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector students—108 remarkable women—onto our campus. This milestone has been made possible through the generous support of Inditex and the Fast Retailing Foundation, whose investment in women’s education and empowerment is driving transformative change across the garment industry.

Since 2016, AUW has worked in close partnership with leading apparel brands and local garment factories to identify and recruit high-potential female workers from the RMG sector—many of whom are the first in their families to attend university. Through a rigorous admissions process conducted directly on factory floors, AUW has already educated over 100 women from this sector, providing fully-funded scholarships that cover tuition, accommodation, meals, and healthcare.

Graduates of the program have gone on to earn degrees in subjects like Economics, Politics, and Public Health, and have taken on leadership roles in human resources, welfare, finance, and marketing—often returning to the industry in managerial or executive positions. Others have pursued graduate study at prestigious international institutions.

A formal welcoming session is scheduled for August 29, and a special celebratory dinner with their respective factory management will be held in the New Year.

We are incredibly proud to witness this growing movement take root and cannot wait to see how these 108 women flourish at AUW—and the incredible impact they are sure to make in their communities and industries.