The European Union grants Erasmus + scholarships to 33 Nepali students for post-graduate education in Europe

The European Union has awarded a full scholarship to 33 Nepali students (19 men & 14 women) to pursue two-year Erasmus + Master’s programmes in Europe starting in the 2024/25 academic year. With this latest announcement, more than 500 students have benefitted from a Master’s scholarship while 300 other students and staff have benefitted from international credit mobility under the Erasmus programme.

Worldwide, 2603 students from 137 countries have been awarded scholarships this year for Erasmus Mundus Joint master’s degrees. These Masters degrees are study programmes delivered jointly by several European Universities, offering students the chance to learn and live in several European countries in their pursuit of a prestigious degree. In addition, the students receiving a scholarship are fully funded, including tuition, travel from their home country, and a monthly allowance.

2024 also marks the 20th anniversary of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programme, a milestone that underscores the programme’s positive impact on students, higher education institutions, and countries beyond the EU. These scholarships, awarded by the European Union, exemplify the EU’s ongoing commitment to fostering educational opportunities and international collaboration.

The Erasmus+ program is a flagship initiative of the European Union, designed to support education, training, youth, and sport in Europe and beyond. By enabling students from diverse backgrounds to experience high-quality education in a multicultural environment, the program contributes significantly to personal development, academic excellence, and the building of lifelong international networks.

The European Union is the largest global donor in education with its Erasmus+ program. The new Erasmus programme’s budget for 2021-2027 totals 26.2 billion euros, compared with 14.7 billion euros for the previous seven-year cycle of 2014-2020. With this substantially increased budget, Erasmus+ will be even more inclusive, more digital, and more green!

The Delegation of the European Union to Nepal together with the Erasmus Mundus Association Nepal organized a Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) for the new scholarship recipients on 7 August. The students received essential information about living and studying in Europe, cultural integration, and the academic expectations of their respective institutions.

Alumni of the Erasmus+ program shared their experiences and insights, providing valuable guidance to the new scholars. This peer-to-peer interaction is expected to inspire and motivate the scholars as they embark on their educational journey.

The main subject areas of their choice are Plant Breeding, Decentralized Smart Energy System, Smart Cities & Communities, International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering, Agriculture, Environment and Society, Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Geo-Information, Waves Acoustics Vibrations Engineering Sound, Transition, Innovation and Sustainability Environments.

Welcoming the awardees, EU Ambassador to Nepal, H.E. Veronique LORENZO, said, “”The Erasmus+ scholarships not only offer Nepalese students a chance to gain world-class education but also strengthen the educational ties between the EU and Nepal.”

“This initiative reflects the European Union’s broader commitment to supporting the education sector in Nepal, contributing to the nation’s development through knowledge exchange and capacity building, and lifelong people to people friendships” she added.

She said the Erasmus scholarship is unique in that it allows for degree mobility and recognition of joint or multiple diplomas in the EU and beyond. She wished the scholarship holders all the luck and professional and personal growth in their exciting academic journey and hoped to see them returning to Nepal to contribute to bridge the human resource gap.

The Erasmus+ scholarships also provide opportunities for Europeans to undertake short-term studies and teaching in various universities across Nepal.

Sristi KC completed her Erasmus Masters in Dance Knowledge, Practice, and Heritage, between 2015 to 2017. She founded the organisation ‘Blind Rocks’ upon returning home after her studies abroad and says her experience and study in Europe has helped her to manage her organisation efficiently. “I am immensely grateful for the Erasmus scholarship, which has helped me transform daily and continues to do so. Today, I am proud and honored to serve as the Vice President of the Erasmus Nepal Chapter, allowing me to grow, learn, and share my experiences with others, “Shristi says.

Representatives of the EU Member State Embassies based in Kathmandu and New Delhi also participated both in person and online in the programme and answered the queries of students. Those present were– Ms Shweta Kapoor, representative of the New Delhi based Embassy of Czech Republic, Mr. João Marques Mendes, representative from Portuguese Embassy, Riina Riika Heikka Finnish Ambassador to Nepal, Mr. Jean-Baptiste Lesecq, chargé d’affaires a.i. at the French Embassy in Kathmandu, Mr. Jean-Baptiste Lesecq, H.E. Ms. Aliki Koutsomitopoulou, Greek Ambassador to India, Ms Marie Bruckmayer, First Secretary at the New Delhi based Austrian Embassy and Mr. Prabin Rana from Campus France.

In addition, the Erasmus National focal points and representatives from the Tribhuvan University, Purwanchal University, Lumbini University and Pokhara University also attended the PDO this year.

The European Union has been supporting the education sector of Nepal for more than 20 years and supporting access to quality education is one of the EU’s core commitments. The EU’s current contribution of over 53 million Euros to ‘Quality Education for All’ will support the implementation of the government’s School Education Sector Plan (2022 – 2032) which has as an overall objective to contribute to a well-educated and skilled society in Nepal, able to play an active role in the social and economic development of the country. Moreover, improving girls’ education is another priority for the EU as the impact of educating girls extends far beyond literacy. Educated women are key to breaking the cycle of poverty, contributing to better health, reduced fertility rates, and overall community development.