By: Faheem Anwar
ISLAMABAD: In a remarkable achievement, a total of 192 Pakistani students, including 103 men and 89 women, have been granted scholarships to pursue their studies in prestigious European universities through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarships program, which is the flagship initiative of the European Union (EU). The EU Delegation to Pakistan recently hosted a pre-departure event to celebrate the success of these scholarship recipients, as stated in a press release.
For the second consecutive year, Pakistan has secured the top position globally in terms of the number of scholarships awarded and has also maintained its lead in scholarship applications.
During the event, Thomas Seiler, the EU Chargé d’Affaires a.i., expressed his congratulations to the young individuals who will embark on an educational and cultural journey through the Erasmus+ program in the coming months. He expressed confidence that they will return with profound knowledge and enriching experiences, and their exposure to European universities will contribute to the development of Pakistan.
Mr. Seiler further emphasized that the selection of Pakistani students for these scholarships reflects their excellent preparation and the quality of education provided by Pakistani universities, enabling them to compete at a global level. He expressed his delight in seeing an increasing number of Pakistani students benefiting from the Erasmus+ program.
This year, a total of 2,835 students from 128 countries have been selected for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarships. The pre-departure event, organized in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), offered the scholarship holders an opportunity to prepare for their studies in Europe and network with their peers and Erasmus+ Alumni. The event included the sharing of experiences by Erasmus+ Alumni, followed by a question and answer session.
The event was attended by Dr. Shaista Sohail, the Executive Director of the Higher Education Commission, representatives from EU Member States, and members of the Erasmus+ Alumni Association.
Erasmus+ is the EU’s premier program that supports education, training, youth, and sport worldwide. Initially launched in 1987 for exchanges within Europe, the program was expanded beyond Europe’s borders in 2004. It provides funding for programs, projects, scholarships, and promotes cooperation within the European Union and globally.
The current Erasmus+ program, launched in March 2021, allocates over 23.2 billion Euros globally to support mobility and cooperation in the higher education sector.