The European Union (EU) in Bangladesh, together with EU Member States, hosted a reception on Thursday for 151 Bangladeshi students who will benefit from an Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters scholarship under the Erasmus+ programme. The Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programme offers fully-funded scholarships and the beneficiaries are awarded a joint, double degree, or multiple degrees, upon graduation. Hans Lambrecht, Chargé d'Affaires of the EU said 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.  Read: Top European Countries Offering Free Education for International Students "The new, larger programme for the period 2021-2027 has an increased budget of €26.2 billion," said Lambrecht. It enables the EU to support new initiatives and attract an even greater number of participants.  "Worldwide and in Bangladesh, the demand for highly skilled, socially engaged people is increasing. We are proud to contribute to Bangladesh’s future through the Erasmus+ scholarships," said the diplomat. Read Free Education in Germany for International Students in Bachelor, Masters, PhD "Erasmus+ helps the Bangladeshi beneficiaries to build resilience, adapt to the changing global environment, seize new opportunities and be the connector between Europe and Bangladesh.’’ Bangladesh is ranking third this year in terms of number of awarded scholarships A total of 151 Bangladeshi students have received Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters scholarships to study in various European cities for completing a Masters degree in areas such as data science, engineering, climate change, gender studies, circular economy, public health, public policy and human rights.  Read Study in the Netherlands: Scholarship Opportunities for Bangladeshi Students The knowledge and skills gained will be applied in Bangladesh and contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said the EU Embassy in Dhaka.