A cross section of participants
The Centre for European Studies, in collaboration with the Erasmus Mundus Plus Program, has organized a one day workshop on Postgraduate Educational Scholarship/Funding Opportunities for students. The event which brought together final year students took place at the Auditorium of the School of Law, University of Ghana. The occasion afforded students interested in pursuing further studies in Europe the opportunity to interact with the Ambassadors and representatives of EU-Member Countries in Ghana. The Ambassadors present were the German Ambassador, Ambassador Christoph Retzlaff; Ambassador of Spain, Ambassador Maria Jesus Alonso Jimenez; Italian Ambassador, Ambassador Giovanni Favilli; Netherlands Ambassador, Ambassador Ron Strikker; Ambassador of France, Ambassador Francois Pujolas and the EU Ambassador, Ambassador William Hanna. Among the audience were students who have benefitted from funding opportunities from European countries, who shared their experiences.
In his brief welcome address, Professor Ransford Gyampo, Director of the Centre for European Studies, University of Ghana, noted that even though many brilliant Ghanaian students especially from the University of Ghana continue to have a good chance to gain admission into schools in Europe, the greatest challenge they have is lack of funding and inadequate information regarding where funding can be located and how to access it. The workshop, he said, was aimed at providing such information, especially to final ear undergraduate students, interested in pursuing further studies at the graduate level.
Prof Ransford Gyampo, CES Director addressing the students and Ambassadors
The Head of the EU Delegation in Ghana, Ambassador William commended the Centre for European Studies for the initiative. He noted that the event also commemorates 60 years of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship grants to students across the globe. He pledged his assistance in facilitating funding opportunities for University of Ghana students who wish to study in Europe. Other Ambassadors present took turns to address the students on the scholarship opportunities available in their respective countries.
In demonstrating their support and collaboration with the CES, the Ambassadors present, jointly unveiled a symbolic plaque to commemorate the establishment of the CES and to demonstrate the partnership between the Centre and the EU-Member countries. They also pledged their support for the CES and urged students willing to pursue postgraduate studies in Europe to seize the opportunity offered them by the establishment of the CES and its goodwill as well as partnership with the EU-Member countries.
Unveiling a symbolic plaque for CES: L-R: Italian Ambassador, Spanish Ambassador, EU Ambassador, Netherlands Ambassador, German Ambassador, Director, CES, and acting Ambassador to France.
