EU Ambassador flags off 2024 Erasmus+ scholarship awardees from Lanka

EU Ambassador Carmen Moreno on Wednesday (31) hosted a pre-departure ceremony in Colombo, celebrating 19 Lankan students who have been awarded scholarships to pursue graduate studies in Europe under the Erasmus+ programme.

The recipients will study at multiple universities across Belgium, Spain, Germany, Finland, France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Ambassador Moreno urged the scholars to leverage this opportunity not only to advance their academic and professional goals but also to contribute to Sri Lanka’s development. Dr. Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation, expressed his pleasure at holding the event in person this year after COVID-19 and Sri Lanka’s economic crisis had prevented such gatherings for the past three years.

The event provided students with a chance to connect with fellow Sri Lankan scholarship winners and learn more about the European Union’s development cooperation with Sri Lanka. Former scholarship recipient Akos Baumgartner, now a Junior Professional in the Delegation’s Political Section, shared how the Erasmus programme had fostered mutual understanding and global community building. Urszula Solkiewicz, a Programme Manager at the Cooperation Section, spoke about her transformative experience with Erasmus, highlighting its impact on her career and personal development.

Since 2014, Sri Lanka has seen a significant increase in Erasmus+ scholarships, with nearly 300 students now part of the programme’s alumni, up from just 37 by 2018.