Dr. Jenny Lind Elmaco
Come October 1-2, the EU Delegation in the Philippines will be mounting the annual European Higher Education Fair 2021 – an event that gives the opportunity to listen, learn, and interact directly with representatives from 140 world-class higher education institutions from across 13 EU member states. The EU and its Member States all have their incredible programs and I am happy that they are being shared with the Philippines and the ASEAN region.
As an alumna of the flagship education and research programs of the European Union namely, the Erasmus Mundus and the Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions, I am a proud goodwill ambassador of these programs as these opportunities opened many doors for me and continue to do so. I myself have had beautiful memories from my time as a scholar in Europe.
In the Erasmus program, I was able to participate in conferences and consultations at the UN headquarters in Vienna, a special tour of the Hofburg with the Austrian President for the ASEF Youth Forum and attending the Vienna Mayor’s welcome for international students. Beyond these two programs, I also took a Masters in Peace in Innsbruck, Austria where we trained with the Tyrolean firefighters, taught survival skills by the Austrian Army and lived in teepees while learning how to rappel and make our own sleeping bag from twigs and leaves. I had such a great experience that I went back for my MBA with a specialization in Big Data in Business Intelligence from Spain this time. My doctorate degree is also from Europe which I proudly finished with high honors. However, what I valued most was the openness of the learning strategies and the encouragement that Europe provided for us scholars to carve our own niche in the world while providing a platform for us to amplify our learnings and build our professional pathways.
The experiences of EU scholars have been so rich and so colorful that I thought I would share some in this column.
Graciela Mante, who started her Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Public Sector Innovation and eGovernance (PIONEER) in 2018 talks about her unique experience during the program: “I learned how to bike (despite my age) because it is the fastest way to go to university and to explore all the beautiful places around.” When asked why she applied, she said: “I badly needed a break from work so I decided to pursue another academic and cultural experience while enjoying my love for travel.”
Jeffrey Razonabe, who will be doing the European Joint Masters in Social Work with Children and Youth (ESWOCHY ) from 2021-2023 enthuses that the program is making his dreams into reality and is the best thing that happened in his life. He says further, “studying abroad comes with many different surprises and life-changing experiences. As a new Erasmus Mundus Scholar, I am so excited with what the world will offer to me when I start my journey in Europe. I want to experience diversity and culture. I want to learn more especially International Social Worker practices.
Meanwhile, Kellyn Ngo, Erasmus Mundus Master In Quality in Analytical Laboratories 2021-2023 (EMQAL) expressed: “Aside from traveling, learning about different cultures and getting to know other people, I am most excited for the opportunity to grow my career and develop as a person.”
Meanwhile, Jaime Gabriel Trazo, Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Surface, Electro, Radiation, and Photo-Chemistry (EMJMD SERP+) 2021-2023 shared: “I’ve always had a fascination with chemistry since I was little. It’s a really colorful science, and my high school teacher was a big inspiration in pursuing this field! Through SERP, I aim to help advance new tech in green energy and materials with friends from around the world. Plus, to pay forward what my teachers have imparted to me!” Jaime looks forward to brainstorming innovations with people inside and outside the lab especially as knowing how other people think and sharing great stories are two things he really enjoys!
John Vincent Tumaneng – Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Chemical NanoEngineering (EMJMD in CNE) 2021-2023 excitedly noted, “ I am a huge myth nerd since childhood, so being a train away from the origins of those rich stories while being a nanoscientist on the side is a dream come true!”
I am particularly happy to share the thoughts of Jezeree Jeonme Gajelomo, Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology 2021-2023 (WOP-P ) who was an active student leader from the same school where I did my undergrad, Silliman University. Jez has always been passionate about social justice and we have done several projects for girls empowerment. She shared, “as we face the global pandemic, massive changes have occurred in various workplaces. There have been several growing speculations on the impact of this crisis and how it will shape the future workplace and its employees. This only tells us one thing: the time is ripe to research these issues. Understanding the implications of remote work has never been relevant as it is during this pandemic. Thus, I am looking forward to create discoveries in research, uncover solutions related to working problems, and learn more about the reality of Work, Organizational, and Personnel Psychology.”
During the press conference, His Excellency Luc Véron, EU Ambassador to the Philippines , invited all students and those interested to the virtual fair. He said that the“EU wants to give Filipino students access to information about pursuing their higher education in European universities, institute, and colleges. We also want to underscore the importance of mobility, innovation, partnerships, and lifelong learnings.” He added that, this fair is therefore a one-stop shop, an information hub to know more about the EU and the center of academic excellence, its higher education institutions, their graduate and post-graduate programs, and the opportunities for financial support to student mobility such as Erasmus and EU Scholarship program.” Indeed, there is a wealth of information and lots of opportunities during the European Higher Education Fair. It is not too late to join. Register now at bit.ly/3nHHwqz. See EU soon!