The European Union has offered postgraduate scholarships to over 200 young Nigerians in top European universities under its flagship educational programme, Erasmus+.
The figure represents a significant increase from the 133 Nigerians that benefitted from the initiative in 2021, and also places the most populous black nation second among countries with the highest number of students selected for the prestigious programme in 2022, after Pakistan.
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 programme supports cooperation projects and policy development activities where organisations and higher education institutions can gain experience in international cooperation, strengthen their capacities, produce innovative approaches, exchange good practices and network.
Selection of the beneficiaries is the aftermath of a rigorous, highly competitive process and from various academic disciplines, according to the organisers.
Each scholarship awardee will, on successful completion of the programme, receive a masters degree to be jointly awarded by a consortium of universities in the framework of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programme, a key component of Erasmus+. The studies will run for 12-24 months, and will see each beneficiary studying in at least three different universities in as many countries during the duration of the programme.
The number of Nigerians selected for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree Scholarships has quadrupled in the last four years, rising from 44 awardees in 2019 to 93 in 2020, 133 in 2021 to the record number of over 200 awardees in 2022.
Also, Nigeria’s position in the list of scholarship awardees by nationality has improved from ninth position in 2020, sixth in 2021, to becoming the second highest globally. Nigeria currently has over 730 beneficiaries from the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree since 2004.
Announcing the latest scholarships at a press briefing in Abuja, Samuela Isopi, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the steep rise in the number of Nigerians benefitting from the programme in recent years reflects the premium the EU places on its partnership with the country. She also noted that it reaffirms the EU’s commitment to ramping up programmes and activities targeting Nigeria’s vibrant young people.
“The Erasmus+ programme is an example of the great cooperation we have with Nigeria, and reflects the EU’s commitment to widening the space and increasing opportunities for young Nigerians to actualise their dreams and play their role in contributing to the development of their country,” Isopi said.
“With the increased number of opportunities, I hope that in the coming years, even more Nigerian students and Higher Education Institutions can benefit from this programme,” she said.
The EU ambassador added that the gesture exemplifies regular migration opportunities for ordinary Nigerians to travel abroad based on their capacity, merit and abilities in their respective fields.
This year, the scholarship beneficiaries will traverse 20 different European countries and will be offered the opportunity to interact and exchange ideas with other students from different countries across the world.
