The EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS has hosted a pre-departure orientation for the 134 young Nigerians who have received this year’s Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarships. The figure represents a 34 per cent increase from the number that was selected for the EU’s flagship education programme last year. Over 500 Nigerians have so far been trained in various disciples in top grade universities within and outside Europe, under the Erasmus+ Programme.

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are high-level integrated study programmes at master level designed and delivered by an international partnership of higher education institutions from different countries worldwide. The Erasmus+ funds scholarships for students to take part in the programmes which are offered to the best-ranked student applicants worldwide, in annual application rounds.

The number of latest beneficiaries, according to the EU, represents the highest to receive the scholarship in a single year.

At pre-departure orientation, the Charge d’Affaires of the Delegation of the EU to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Alexandre Borges Gomes, said the EU would spend $32.5 billion on the Erasmus+ Programme under its current funding cycle.

More Nigerians were selected for the programme this year and from any other African country, according to the focal person for Youth, Gender and Human Rights at the Delegation, Ms. Esme Stuart. Nigeria is in the top six bracket of countries with the highest number of awardees of the prestigious scholarship for the second year running.