EU offers postgraduate scholarships to 142 young Nigerians

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The European Union (EU) has offered postgraduate scholarships to 142 young Nigerians in top European universities in the 2024-25 academic session under its flagship educational programme, Erasmus+.

The awardees are among the initial batch of beneficiaries announced by the organisers of the programme in Brussels, and the number might likely increase.

They have been admitted into some of the most in-demand cutting-edge programmes including, Renewable-based Power Systems, Chemical Innovation and Regulation, Public Health in Disasters, Bio refinery, European MSc in Marine Environment 2030, Soil science, Systems for Sustainable Engineering, Sustainable Mineral and Metal Processing Engineering, Sustainable Ship and Shipping and several others.

It was gathered that the programmes will run for 12 to 24 months, with each beneficiary studying in at least three different universities in many countries within and outside the EU during the period.

At the EU-organised pre-departure orientation course in Abuja, yesterday, the beneficiaries were practically exposed to several things and conditions that would make them enjoy successful experiences in their respective institutions.

The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Samuela Isopi, in her remarks at the orientation event, said that Nigeria has retained its number one spot among the beneficiaries of the EU postgraduate scholarships in Africa for the sixth year, as well as a place among the top five recipient countries globally.

She underlined the significance of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) programme, which she said was in its 20th year, with its highly transformative impact on individuals, higher education institutions, and countries both within and outside the EU.

She confirmed that most of the awardees would start their Erasmus+ journey in September 2024, hence, the pre-departure orientation designed to provide them with hands-on tips on how to make the best of the immense opportunities inherent in the prestigious scholarship.

She said: “On the successful completion of the programme, an EMJMD scholar will receive a Masters Degree that will be jointly awarded by a consortium of universities, in the framework of the EMJMD programme, which is a key component of Erasmus+.”

She, however, recalled that over the last two decades, Erasmus Mundus has brought together top universities from all over the EU and beyond to jointly organise excellent Master’s courses, merging the best parts of each national programme to form a new, integrated and unique international study programme, which had offered a unique appeal to prospective students with its high academic standards, unparalleled mobility paths, and attractive financial support.