Erasmus+ Programme: Nigerian youths receive commendation for excellent performance

The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Samuela  Isopi, has commended Nigerian students excellent performance in the Erasmus+ programme.

Ms. Isopi made the commendation in Abuja, Nigeria, at the 2022 Pre-Departure Orientation for over 200 young Nigerians who had received the post graduate scholarship offered by the European Union (EU) which would run concurrently under its Erasmus+ programme.

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The envoy said that the EU was proud of Nigerian performance for emerging in the second position after Pakistan.

She added that Nigerian youths have huge potentials to be in second position with over 200 awardees coming from six positions from last year at the Erasmus programme.

Ms. Isopi said the beneficiaries for the 2022 Erasmus post graduate scholarship would have the opportunity to visit about six countries in Europe for their masters’ programmes.

“The great potential of EU and Nigeria is the people to people relationship by building the future for the youths through education.

“Education gives value to the lives of young individuals and this is what Erasmus+ programme offers to connect people around the world to become better in their various fields of endeavour,’’ she said.

The Nigerian Minister for Youths and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, said Nigerian youths are not inferior to their international counterparts due to their exceptional educational skills.

Mr. Dare, who was represented by his Special Adviser, Mr. Olufemi Adeagbo, said he was delighted by the initiative of the bloc to engage young Nigerians to pursue their education in Europe.

“I am even more delighted to know that a record number had been awarded the prestigious Erasmus scholarship to study in various EU universities this year.

“These scholarships are in the fields of education, training, youths in sports from 2021 to 2027, placing very strong focus on social inclusion, grid and digital transition and also promoting young people’s participation in democratic life.

“All these form the core of my mandate as the minister of youths and sports development in Nigeria.

“I therefore use this opportunity to wish the Nigerians beneficiaries of these programmes a very best of luck and they make the most of this opportunity,“ he said.

Also in message, the Nigerian Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, lauded the Erasmus programme and congratulated the awardees for being selected.

Mallam Adamu advised the students to take advantage of the opportunity in improving their intellectual prowess, adding that they should not to take the opportunity for granted.

The minister, who was represented by Mrs. Ndajiwo Asta, the Director, Federal Scholarship Board, said that the initiative by the European Union was laudable.

“It avails students, teachers and educational staffs to benefit from the postgraduate programme.’’

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are high-level and integrated study programmes at Master level, delivered by an international partnership of higher education institutions.

The Erasmus programme was set up in 1987 aimed at creating exchanges of students between the European countries themselves, but with the addition of the ‘Mundus’ it has been broadened in scope involving countries outside the EU bloc .