A total of 135 young Nigerians have been awarded by the European Union for postgraduate scholarship programs in three different universities and countries.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS Ambassador Samuela Isopi disclosed this on Monday at a press briefing in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
She said 109 out of the 135 Nigerians made top of European universities, under its flagship educational programme, Erasmus+
Adding that this is in recognition of the potential of education as Nigeria is placed number one spot among beneficiaries of the EU postgraduate scholarships in Africa and among the top five globally.
“The 109 Nigerian EMJMD awardees are in the initial batch of beneficiaries, as announced by the organizers of the program in Brussels. The number is likely to increase. Most of the awardees will start their Erasmus Plus journey in September 2023. Ahead of that, the EU Delegation will host a pre-departure orientation for the awardees on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
“The postgraduate programs 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 program. Each scholarship recipient will, on successful completion of the program, receive a master’s degree to be jointly awarded by a consortium of universities, in the framework of the EMJMD program – 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. 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.
“The EU’s support for education in Nigeria aligns with national objectives and focuses on equitable access to quality education and teacher training. “The projects aim at strengthening the education system, increase the use of digital technology for teaching, learning and system management, and mainstream green skills and knowledge by investing EUR 45.4 million, in total during, 2021-2027 in the education projects.”
The ambassador further highlights the commitment of EU Delegation to Nigeria as they prepare to host a “Study in Europe Fair” in Nigeria’s two biggest cities to enable more opportunities for young Nigerian students in attaining higher education in Europe.
“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. The events will also serve as a platform to match-make Nigerian higher education institutions with potential EU partners, in collaboration with the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States in the country. The Study Fairs, which will be open to the public, will also provide opportunities for exchange of experiences and information, and for networking for Nigerian students, academics, parents, and professionals who are actively interested in studying in Europe.”
For the past five years, the EU has been ramping up support to the academia through the EU’s key funding programs: Erasmus+ in the higher education sector, and Horizon Europe for research and innovation. Erasmus+ thus offering opportunities from its flagship scholarship programs, supports mobility and short stays in Europe for researchers, students, and staff, capacity-
Collectively, about 672 Nigerian students have been awarded Erasmus Mundus joint master’s and Ph.D. scholarships between 2014 – 2022.
