Performing Artiste is the 2022 Erasmus Scholar
Port of Spain, August 4, 2022: Dancing, singing, acting – performer Breige Wilson can do it all and now she has joined an elite cadre of students from Trinidad and Tobago who were awarded full scholarships to study in Europe under the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree programme (EMJMD). This programme allows eligible candidates to undertake studies at the post-graduate level at some of Europe’s finest tertiary institutions. Breige will begin her studies at The University of Clermont Auvergne, France, where she will read for an International Master’s Degree in Dance Knowledge, Practice and Heritage.
Under the terms of EMJMD scholarship, students must study in at least three universities in three different European countries. To complete her degree, therefore, Breige will also study at the University of Szeged, Hungary, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway and the University of Roehampton, London, UK.
For Breige, this scholarship is a hard-fought achievement: “I have been applying for full scholarships since 2016,” she said. “In 2021 I decided to try for an Erasmus scholarship. I want an international acting career, so I saw this as an opportunity to venture into that. I also wanted to travel to Portugal and I knew (that under Erasmus+) studying at a tertiary level could provide opportunities for travel.
Breige’s ambitions, however, go well beyond acting and the desire to travel. She plans, once she has completed her studies, to devote her energies to developing businesses that support the Caribbean creative arts sector. She also plans to use her research into Caribbean dance and theatrical performance styles to increase global recognition of, and respect for, the distinctive styles (of dance, music and theatre) of Trinidad and Tobago and the region.
Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Trinidad and Tobago, Peter Cavendish was effusive in his praise of the latest Erasmus scholar: “Here is a young lady full of energy, creativity, an entrepreneurial spirit and a readiness to give back – the very type of person that the Erasmus scholarships are designed for. I have no doubt that Brie will make a meaningful contribution to the development of culture and the arts in Trinidad and Tobago and in the region. “
He continued: “We would really like to encourage more university graduates to apply for Erasmus post-graduate scholarships. As we can see from Breige’s achievement, the scope of post-graduate study that one can engage in under the Erasmus programme is broad and goes well beyond traditional academics. Trinidad and Tobago is replete with talented individuals who can excel if only they first seize the opportunity, like Breige did, and apply.”
Coming from a family of creatives, Breige gives credit for her drive to excel in the performing arts to her family, in particular, to her two late aunts, Sharon Joseph and veteran journalist Cecily Asson, who she said invested a lot into her development as an artiste.
She will leave for France to begin her studies in September.
ABOUT THE ERASMUS JOINT MASTERS DEGREE PROGRAMME
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are high-level and integrated study programmes, at master level. They are designed and delivered by an international partnership of higher education institutions (HEI). They involve at least three HEI from three different countries, of which at least two must be EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.
By supporting these jointly recognised Master degrees, the EU aims at fostering excellence and internationalisation of the participating institutions. There are also scholarships for students to take part in these prestigious programmes; the masters themselves offer them to the best-ranked applicants worldwide.
Scholarships cover the cost of a student’s participation in the programme, travel and a living allowance.
Individuals interested to apply to the EMJMD programme should first consult the programme catalogue for information about course/degree offerings: https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/scholarships/erasmus-mundus-catalogue_en
More information about the EMJMD programme is also available from the Delegation’s website: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/trinidad-and-tobago/travel-study_en?s=156#8454