European Union Promotes Academic Excellence

Some 18 Cameroonian students are beneficiaries of the Mundus ACP scholarships.

It was a special day at the European Union Delegation in Yaounde on Wednesday August 29, 2012. The event was a farewell meeting between EU officials and beneficiaries of the Mundus ACP scholarship for the 2012/2013 academic year. The 18 selected candidates will study in universities in France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Sweden and Portugal.

Speaking at the occasion, the Ambassador, Head of Delegation of the European Union, Raul Mateus Paula, said the EU through the Mundus ACP Project Action 2 aims at increasing access by students, academic and administrative staff to quality education. He said this is to increase competition in schools involved while encouraging measures towards the return of talents. Mateus said he is convinced that the project promotes intercultural dialogue between ACP countries and the European Union, favours reciprocal wealth in societies and sustainable development in partner countries.

This year, 18 Cameroonian Masters degree and PhD students and administrative staff were selected after intense competition within the Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) region. The total cost for scholarships funded by the European Union stands at about 460,000 Euros, (over FCFA 300 million). The scholarship covers monthly allowances, transportation as well as health and travelling insurances and registration fees in host universities.

The Mundus ACP project is part of activities financed by the European Union Erasmus Mundus. Its main objective is to promote European academic excellence in the world. For the 2009-2013 period, the financial donation is estimated at about one billion euros. The Mundus ACP Project Action 2 will continue till 2018 and the Intra-ACP academic mobility will run till 2020.