KAMPALA – The Ministry of Education and Sports together with the European Union Delegation to Uganda have flagged off a team of 19 students, who excelled in the scholarship competition for the prestigious Erasmus+ Masters and Doctorate Awards 2023.
The selected students will study at different universities in Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden for a specified period of time and then return to Uganda.
At a pre-departure event held at the residence of the EU Ambassador in Kololo, the State minister for Primary Education, Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu lauded the scholars for staying focused on their goals and securing funding and scholarship to access the world’s best education systems.
The Minister said the experience and expertise gained by the students should in turn help guide development policy in the country.
“We believe this program will provide high-level training for our students in various fields of study which is critical in the development of our country,” she said.
Dr. Moriku added: “As you step into this new phase of your life, remember that you have earned your place competitively among thousands of applicants from around the country. You have differentiated yourself and demonstrated that you have what it takes to be a true global citizen. I urge you to keep that focus in your quest for knowledge. Remember that with you, Uganda has hope that it can leapfrog on several development indicators, and I encourage you to remain rooted in the country’s ambitions.”
The European Union ambassador in Uganda, Jan Sadek, congratulated the students for the great achievement and said that one of the key aspects of the Erasmus programme of students living in one or more European countries is for them to engage with young Europeans, experience diverse cultures and to enjoy the European diversity.
“Through this experience, the Erasmus students will gain a unique European and international experience which I am sure will enrich them and will have an impact on their future professional and private life. We are part of institutions and Uganda and the EU have a strong institutional partnership but by the end of the day, institutions are made of people. Beyond its academic and knowledge aspects the Erasmus+ programme is also about connecting people across the world. In today’s world which can be at times very divisive, the importance of connecting people and nurturing ties between individuals cannot be overstated,” Mr. Sadek said.
He said the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are high-level integrated study programmes at master level which are designed and delivered by an international partnership of higher education institutions of EU Member States and associated countries.
The EU ambassador urged the Erasmus awardees to be Ambassadors for Uganda in Europe and Ambassadors for the EU in Uganda.
“I will be very interested in hearing about your experience in Europe. And when you will have completed the Erasmus+ program, I hope that you will be better equipped to make a difference for Uganda and contribute to Uganda’s development path.”
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree is a European Union education programme that aims at enhancing quality in higher education through scholarships and academic cooperation between the European Union and the rest of the world.
To be eligible for the scholarship, you must have obtained an education degree first, not be a resident of the 27 EU member states, and should not have carried out any activities like private visits, studies, work, or tourism in these countries for the last 12 months.
The scholarship covers participation costs including tuition, library and laboratory fees, full insurance coverage, travel and installation costs, a monthly subsistence allowance for the entire duration of the study programme and any other mandatory costs related to participation in the master’s degree.
So far, more than 160 Ugandans have been sponsored by the European Union and its member states to pursue their studies in Europe since 2014 under Erasmus Mundus I, Erasmus Mundus II and Erasmus.
