Scholarship Workshop Held

The Centre for European Studies, in collaboration with the Erasmus Mundus Students/Alumni Association and the EU-Delegation in Ghana, organized a half-day sensitization workshop on Postgraduate Educational Scholarship/Funding Opportunities in Europe for students.

The event, which is part of the CES component of activities earmarked by the College of Humanities towards the commemoration of UG@70, brought together over 400 final-year students to dialogue and discuss funding opportunities at the Law School Auditorium at the University of Ghana.

The occasion afforded students interested in pursuing further studies in Europe the opportunity to interact with representatives of EU member countries in Ghana.

The representatives were the Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, Hans Helge-Sander, Deputy Head of Mission of the Hungary Embassy, Nike Szkarosi, Deputy Head of Mission of the Spanish Embassy, Maria Perez de Arminan, Deputy Head of Mission of the Danish Embassy, Peter Eilschow Olesen, Technical Adviser in-charge of France-Ghana Higher Education, Sonia Couprie and the acting EU Ambassador, Paolo Salvia.

In attendance were also students who had benefitted from the Erasmus Mundus Funding Programme and other bilateral funding opportunities in Europe.

In his brief welcome address, Professor Ransford Gyampo, Director of the Centre for European Studies, University of Ghana, noted that even though many brilliant Ghanaian students, especially from the University of Ghana, continue to gain admission into schools in Europe, they are often confronted with the lack of funding and inadequate information regarding where funding can be located and how to access it.

The workshop, he said, was aimed at providing such information, especially to final-year undergraduate students interested in pursuing further studies at the graduate level.

The acting Head of the EU Delegation in Ghana, Paolo Salvia, commended the Centre for European Studies for the initiative.

He noted that the event also commemorates 61 years of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship grants to students across the globe.

He pledged to assist to provide funding opportunities for University of Ghana students who wish to study in Europe.

Other envoys present took turns to address the students on the scholarship opportunities available in their respective countries.

They encouraged them to apply for support to facilitate their quest for further education abroad.

In his presentation on scholarship opportunities in Europe, Konstantinos Maragkos, Alumnus and Country Representative of the Erasmus Mundus Programme in Ghana, gave a detailed explanation about the eligibility criteria and the step by step processes and procedures students require to undertake in applying for the Erasmus Mundus Funding Programme, as well as other bilateral scholarship opportunities in Europe.

He highlighted some of the common mistakes that undermine the success of funding applications by students and sensitized participants about the need to avoid such minor mistakes.

He urged them to read all instructions and guidelines carefully before applying for funding.

Many students expressed gratitude to the CES for the platform given them to access vital information on funding opportunities in Europe.

They called on the Centre to institutionalize such event to help final-year students find money to pay for the cost of their post-graduate education.