Fifty Ghanaian students receive Hungarian Government scholarship

Accra, Aug. 22, GNA - The Hungarian Government has awarded full scholarship to additional 50 Ghanaian students to study in various fields, bringing the total bursary beneficiaries to 100, after the country re-established bilateral relations with Ghana last year.

The grant package covers payment of accommodation, full tuition, feeding and monthly stipends of 40,460 HUF (Hungarian Forint).

Ms Nike Szkarosi, the Charge d' Affairs of the Hungarian Embassy, told the students at an orientation on Tuesday that education formed the best tool for deepening bilateral relations and a life-long investment in every country's destiny.

She said since the Hungarian Government launched its Foreign Policy, it had opened embassies in several countries in Africa in an effort to building more sustainable bilateral ties.

Ms Szkarosi charged the students, made up of undergraduates and postgraduates, to study hard and come out successfully and become proud ambassadors of Ghana and Hungary.

'When you finish your studies, we will rely on you because you are to be our ambassadors. Be open, polite and it will be very good for you and for your country and every one,' she said.

Hungary officially reopened its diplomatic mission in Ghana in October 2016, after it was closed in 1987 due to financial constraints and following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The first Embassy was open in Accra in 1961.
The Central European country has since shifted its Foreign Policy direction to a focus on European integration.

Dr Lawrence Tetteh, an Economist and International Evangelist, advised the students to learn the diverse cultural dynamics of the different people they would encounter and merge the cultures to enable them to coexist peacefully.

'Make sure you integrate well in the society, learn to accommodate and be accommodated, live a modest life and cut every coat of yours according to your size,' he said.

He said the integrity of their country was very important, which they should protect by putting up responsible behaviours and showcasing the goodwill of Ghana.

Dr Tetteh also asked the students to live modest lives to reflective their social and economic status.

Ghana and Hungary signed the Education Cooperation Agreement in 2016, which guaranteed at least 50 scholarships each year for Ghanaian students to study in Hungary.

This paved way for Ghanaian and Hungarian researchers, experts and lecturers to collaborate at various levels whiles opening Ghanaian institutions to Hungarian students desirous of exchange programmes.

Priority areas include Natural Sciences, particularly Medicine and Public Health, Engineering, Agriculture and Economics.

Officials said Ghana strategically selected those disciplines in view of her transformational development agenda and the fact that Hungary was renowned in those disciplines.

GNA

By D.I Laary, GNA