On 31 July, Ambassador Carmen Moreno, hosted a pre-departure event in Colombo, celebrating 19 Sri Lankan students who have been awarded scholarships to pursue graduate studies in Europe under the Erasmus+ programme.
These scholarship recipients will study at least two different universities across various European countries, including Belgium, Spain, Germany, Finland, France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Speaking to the awardees, Ambassador Moreno encouraged them to make the best use of this opportunity, not only to advance their academic and professional careers but also to contribute to the development of Sri Lanka.
Dr. Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation for the Delegation, expressed delight in organizing the pre-departure event in person this year. He highlighted the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, which prevented such gatherings in the past three years.
The pre-departure event allowed the students to connect with their fellow scholarship awardees from Sri Lanka and provided an opportunity to learn more about the European Union and its development cooperation with Sri Lanka.
Former scholarship winner Akos Baumgartner, currently a Junior Professional at the Political Section at the Delegation in Sri Lanka, shared his experiences. He emphasized how the cultural exchanges within the degree programme inspired him, stating that Erasmus is not just about education but also about fostering mutual understanding and appreciation, building bridges between countries, and creating a harmonious global community.
Urszula Solkiewicz, now a Programme Manager attached to the Cooperation Section at the Delegation also spoke at the event. She shared how her Master’s degree program in Rome, Italy sparked her interest in European affairs. She described Erasmus as a transformative experience filled with adventures and development opportunities in education, profession, and most importantly the personal and personality development. She also highlighted the numerous opportunities in Europe and the importance of networking.
Since 2014, Sri Lanka has significantly benefited from the Erasmus+ programme. Up to 2018, only 37 students had received scholarships for the Erasmus+ Joint Master Degree programme. However, the number of scholarship winners has gradually increased in recent years, with nearly 300 Sri Lankan students now part of the Erasmus+ alumni of Sri Lanka.