A number of Caribbean islands are making use of scholarship opportunities offered to Caribbean nationals. These relationships are cemented after the initial contact of countries has been further quantified into a protocol of bilateral cooperation and exchange in various areas of mutual interests.
For example, the "Madarin Enrichment Scholarship," is offered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan); the scholarship aims to encourage young talented people to study Mandarin and enrich their knowledge about Taiwan culture. The candidate will be provided with a monthly stipend of over US$830, and a round-trip air ticket to Taiwan.
Antigua & Barbuda has recently concluded an arrangement with the Republic of Korea where Korea will offer scholarships to obtain tertiary level education. The areas to be covered are Agriculture, Industry and Energy, Education, Health, Governance, Forestry and Fisheries.
Germany has offered scholarship opportunities for advance studies for Grenadians
Caribbean nations see the development of their human resources as key to national development. With each island having scarce resources, emphasis continues to be placed on the educational advancement of a country's human resources.
The Germans are offering opportunities in more than a dozen areas, including Development Cooperation, Political Economics, Engineering and Related Sciences, Mathematics, Regional Planning, Agriculture and Forest Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Medicine and Public Health, Veterinary Medicine, Social Sciences, Education and Law and Media Studies. Candidates can either be self-financed or apply for a full or partial scholarship from the German Academic Exchange.
The Government of Mexico is offering scholarships to St. Lucians. These scholarships are offered for study leading to a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral Degree, and may also be used for graduate research leading to a Degree and Medical Specializations and sub-specializations. Applicants may also select an area of study that the Government of St. Lucia lists as a national priority for the nation.
Turkey is also offering Bachelor's, Master's and PhD level scholarships under the Golden Horn Scholarship program and the scholarship covers tuition fees and accommodation.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela offers scholarships to Caribbean nationals for Bachelor Degree programmes in the following areas: Integral Community Medicine, Sport Training, Physical Activity & Health, Sport Technology Management, Food Engineering, and Information Technology for Social Management, and Agricultural Business Management.
The value of the scholarship covers tuition and other compulsory institutional course fees, a monthly stipend of US$450, room and board, and medical attention including hospitalization.
Also on offer to Caribbean countries are scholarship opportunities from Australia (Climate Change/Natural Resource Management, Education and Food Security) and New Zealand (Infrastructure and Utility, Human Rights and Gender, Education, Health, Biosecurity and Food Safety).
Country Sint Maarten should make use of these opportunities in addition to the existing scholarship program. We don't have anything to lose but more to gain.
Roddy Heyliger
