… As Abia Govt Hails Rector For Rapid Growth
His Excellency, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, the Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has urged Abia State students to grab the opportunities available in the Union’s most popular academic programme, the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship programme.
Mr Mignot, who made the comment when he visited the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State, said that the EU has a lot of programmes, but Erasmus, which is its flagship programme, remains the most popular.
During the engagement with the students of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Mignot gave details about Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, which are prestigious international Masters programs jointly designed and delivered by a group of higher education institutions, and urged them to take advantage of it to improve themselves.
The visit, which is the first of its kind in the South-East Geopolitical Zone, provided Mignot the opportunity to sensitise the students of the polytechnic about the fully funded scholarship opportunities while the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Uche Emeh Uche, and Dr Okoro Christopher Kalu, Rector of the polytechnic, flanked him.
Mignot described the programme as very generous and rare to find elsewhere and equally urged the Abia students to work hard to ensure that they meet the criteria required for the programme, as it is not an all-comers affair.
South-East Reporters gathered that the Erasmus Scholarship offers an extraordinary chance for students all over the world to pursue higher education in Europe, funded by the EU, designed not only to improve the quality of education but also to promote cultural exchange, academic collaboration, and international networking.
It was equally gathered that through Erasmus, students gain exposure to multiple European universities, diverse cultures, and global perspectives, making it a life-changing academic experience.
Mignot, who gave a brief history of the EU, stressed that the 27 member states are trying to set positive examples for the rest of the world to follow, as it is championing peace and cooperation, having made efforts for several decades to end various wars successfully.
According to him, the programme involves at least two institutions from at least two different countries and multiple associated partners from the academic and non-academic world.
Responding to the information from Ambassador Mignot, Abia State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Uche Eme Uche hailed the Rector of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Dr Okoro Christopher Kalu, for transforming the r the school within a short time.
The Commissioner equally appreciated the impact of Governor Alex Otti on various higher institutions in the state, especially Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, which currently looks refurbished in both academics and infrastructure.
She reported to the Ambassador that the school is practically orientated, as most materials in their lecture theatre were produced by the students within the school.
Eme urged Ambassador Mignot to always do a favour for Abia students, as they have the capacity to match whatever criteria are required to enjoy the Erasmus Programme.
She appreciated the management and students of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic for the productive academic synergy that has seen the institution getting accreditation for numerous courses, which is poised to position the polytechnic as one of the best in the country.
