The European Union, EU has announced the offer of postgraduate scholarships to 109 young Nigerians in top European universities, under its flagship educational programme, Erasmus+.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Samuela Isopi, announced this at a press briefing in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Ms. Isopi explained that the figure places Nigeria on the number one spot among beneficiaries of the EU postgraduate scholarships in Africa in the past five years and among the top five globally.
According to the envoy, the total number of Nigerian awardees is 135 out of which 109 are in the initial batch of beneficiaries, as announced by the organisers of the programme in Brussels.
“Actually, the Nigerian awardees this year are one hundred and thirty five.
“Since 2019, five hundred Nigerians have benefitted from the Erasmus Masters study programme, making Nigeria the first country in Africa and among the top five globally.
“These scholarships of post graduate masters’ studies programme that will run from twelve to twenty four months are fully funded scholarships.
“This is a unique example of multi countries and multi cultural study programme because each awardee will have the opportunity to study in at least three different universities during the duration of the programme in three different countries,” she explained.
Ms. Isopi disclosed that at the end of the programme each awardee would receive a Master’s Degree that would be jointly awarded by a consortium of universities.
Nigerians Among Best Participants
The Head of Human Development Section – EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS,
Ms Lelia Ben Amor Matthew said Nigerians are among the best participants in the programme.
She urged more Nigerians to apply to participate in the programme.
The postgraduate programmes will run for 12-24 months, and will see each beneficiary studying in universities in at least three different universities in as many countries during the duration of the programme.
Each scholarship recipient will, on successful completion of the programme, receive a master degree to be jointly awarded by a consortium of universities, in the framework of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree, EMJMD programmes.
EMJMD programme is a key component of Erasmus+
The students were selected from over 15,000 applications through a very competitive selection procedure coordinated by the participating consortia of universities and they will be hosted by the EU Delegation in a pre-departure orientation for the awardees in Abuja on Wednesday, July 19 2023.
The applications are open to candidates from all parts of the world.
The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) programmes are high-level integrated study programmes, delivered by an international partnership of higher education institutions.
Grants
In a related development, Ms. Isopi disclosed that EU is about to launch a very important education programme in Nigeria of forty five million Euros grant to support primary education especially areas that have been affected by insecurity and where education has been disrupted.
She also disclosed that the EU Delegation to Nigeria will host a “Study in Europe Fair” in Nigeria’s two biggest cities of Lagos (October 28) and Kano (October 26) to enable prospective Nigerian students to explore the opportunities of higher education in Europe.
Confidence Okwuchi
