UNB Ambassador Rensje Teerink, Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, together with the EU Member States’ Ambassadors and representatives, hosted a virtual Erasmus+ pre-departure event on Friday for the 139 Bangladeshi students who will benefit from an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree scholarship under the Erasmus+ programme.

It is the most prestigious study programme that the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree has to offer: full-degree scholarships are funded and the beneficiaries are awarded a joint, double degree - or multiple degrees - upon their graduation. It is a true investment in the future of a young person and a reflection of the European idea.

The EU Ambassador said: "Despite Covid-19, we still live in a globalized world and a flagship programme like Erasmus+, with a strong external dimension that aims to promote people-to-people exchanges, can and should be a game-changer. Worldwide and in Bangladesh, demand for highly skilled, socially engaged people is increasing. Driven by digital technology, jobs are becoming more flexible and complex. The capacity of people to be entrepreneurial, think autonomously and creatively and be resilient are more crucial than ever. Erasmus+ helps its beneficiaries build resilience, adapt to the changing global environment, seize new opportunities and make the most of their talents."

This year, 139 Bangladeshi students have been selected to study in numerous European cities for completing Masters in different areas such as environmental sciences, research, engineering, gender studies, economics, health, IT, law and development studies. The knowledge gained will surely have a far-reaching applicability in Bangladesh and contribute to making progress towards the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs. The event was made possible thanks to the active participation of the Erasmus Mundus alumni Association (EMA), according to a  media release.