Two Jamaicans land Erasmus Mundus scholarships
Published:Saturday | August 19, 2023 | 12:06 AM
JAMAICANS KENARDO Matherson and Ganga Laheja are among the high achievers who have earned the European Union’s (EU) Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for 2023.
The other scholars are Giann Vasquez and Tyler Eck from Belize.
Both scholars will be pursuing a joint two-year (2023-2025) master’s degree in coastal hazards, risks, climate-change impacts and adaptation at Universidad De Cantabria in Santander, Spain, then will further their studies in the Netherlands and Portugal.
Twenty-three-year-old Matherson, a junior civil engineer at engineering, construction and management firm Smith Warner International, said spending more than a year in the field has inspired him to expand his studies in coastal engineering. He believes the knowledge and expertise garnered will help him to contribute to the growth and development of Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, Laheja, who also worked as a junior civil engineer at Smith Warner International for over a year, has always been passionate about coastal engineering and even pursued a course in her previous studies.
Battling climate change
Working at the firm has boosted Laheja’s interest in coastal engineering, and she believes the Erasmus Mundus programme will provide her with further knowledge and skills to become more proficient in the field where the 22-year-old aims to combat the effects of climate change and assist in the implementation of climate change mitigation strategies in Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean.
EU Ambassador to Jamaica Marianne Van Steen congratulated the scholars, and encouraged them to contribute to the growth and development of their countries, following the completion of their programmes.
“I know it is going to be very attractive to go to all those countries and you will see a completely different way of living. I just hope you are going to come back to your countries. If Jamaica and Belize should make a leap forward, we need young people like you, who have been trained and educated well, to work in your countries,” said Van Steen.
The ambassador also urged scholars to take advantage of the different opportunities that will emerge from the scholarship experience.
“Open your horizons! It is not just about what you are going to learn. It is not just about your university and the courses. It is about becoming a part of the different cultures and making friends for the rest of your life,” she added.
Erasmus Mundus is designed to foster educational enrichment and intercultural understanding. It is a joint master’s degree programme which covers the cost of students’ participation, travel, and living allowance.
Five Jamaicans were awarded with scholarships last year, the country’s largest cohort. Since 2004, over 30 Jamaicans have been awarded the scholarship.
The scholarship application period is open every year between October and January for courses starting the following academic year. Interested members of the public can already consult the online catalogue of available master’s programmes to identify postgraduate opportunities of their interest among the 193 masters scholarship openings available.