26 Filipinos receive European Commission’s Erasmus graduate scholarships

MANILA, Philippines - Twenty-six new Erasmus Mundus students from the Philippines will soon start their MA and Ph D programs in various EU member  states this September 2013 having received scholarships under the European Commission’s Erasmus Mundus Program.

 Erasmus Mundus is a co-operation and mobility program in the field of higher education that aims to encourage students from outside Europe to take advanced degrees in the EU, and thus, to promote dialogue and understanding among young people around the world, and at the same time to strengthen the global links of European higher education.

Lubomir Frebort, Charges d’ Affaires, a.i. of the EU Delegation to the Philippines congratulated the outgoing Erasmus Mundus students in a reception held on August 28 at the EU Delegation to the Philippines as he urged them to become ambassadors of goodwill to help strengthen the friendship and partnership between the EU and the Philippines. 

 A number of Erasmus Mundus alumni also attended to share their experiences of studying in Europe and encouraged the scholars to take the best advantage of their time in the EU.

Frebort said that since 2004 almost 200 students and lecturers benefitted from an Erasmus Mundus scholarship with the European Union spending about euro 4 million or P228 million. The scholarship covers air travel to Europe, tuition fees and a monthly living allowance of between P55,000 and P138,000. The country’s best universities such as Ateneo de Manila University, the University of the Philippines and the Visayas State University, have concluded partnerships with prominent European universities under this mobility program.

The Erasmus Mundus program is among the leading international academic mobility programs in the world, and students from the Philippines have benefited considerably from the program, just as the EU universities have benefited from the participation of these visiting students.

 During the send-off reception, Frebort also announced the conduct of the third European Higher Education Fair on Oct. 15, 2013 in Makati City which will enable Filipinos to access more information about education programs from European higher education institutions coming to Manila.