THE Delegation of the European Union (EU) and the government of Japan are giving Filipino scholars the rare opportunity to fulfill their academic aspirations abroad.
In the coming weeks 75 Filipino students will chase their scholastic dreams in EU member-countries after gaining scholarships from the Erasmus+ Programme, which will allow them to pursue Master’s and Ph.D courses in the bloc’s universities.
Ambassador Luc Véron congratulated the Erasmus+ scholars, as he urged them to become envoys themselves of goodwill and agents of change who will help strengthen the partnership between the EU and the Philippines. He also encouraged the students to give back to their country after they finish the program in the union.
During the first face-to-face predeparture orientation since the pandemic, Véron said that the Philippines has repeatedly ranked as one of the countries with the highest number of Erasmus+ scholars in the region and in the world. He proudly said that this year the Philippines ranked eighth among the countries producing the most number of Erasmus scholars worldwide.
This year’s send-off rites were organized by the EU Delegation and Campus Erasmus, which is composed of Erasmus+ scholars in the country.
The Erasmus+ Programme provides life-changing pathways for Filipino students to experience Europe’s academic excellence and culture, learn European languages, and be integrated into European society for one to two years. Among leading international academic-mobility programs in the world, it promotes the region as a center of excellence in learning, making student mobility a reality for EU and non-EU citizens.
47 join ‘JET’
MEANWHILE, the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme welcomed a total of 47 Filipinos who will participate in its annual programme for 2022.
Forty-six assistant language teachers (ALTs) and a coordinator for international relations (CIR) were scheduled to fly to Japan on August 14. Prior to their flight, the participants engaged in a series of activities aimed at preparing them for duties in the Asian country.
According to the Japanese embassy, the number of JET participants has been increasing since it started in 2014, and has accepted 250 in total.
On July 15 Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa hosted a send-off reception for the participants in his residence—the first since 2019. The envoy congratulated them, and shared his hopes for the program’s growth.
Koshikawa stated in this speech: “Promoting internationalization and mutual trust, participants become cultural ambassadors that bridge Japan to their home nations. Filipino JETs do so well in this aspect, consistently paving avenues for stronger linkages between [my country] and the Philippines.”
Earlier that day the participants visited the Manila Japanese School (MJS) in Taguig City, where they had the opportunity to observe English classes and meet with Filipino English teachers. Both sides had a fruitful exchange of views on teaching techniques and Japanese classroom practices.
In addition, the Japan Information and Culture Center, in cooperation with the JET Alumni Association of the Philippines held a virtual predeparture briefing on July 30. Aimed at preparing the incoming JETs for life in Japan, the participants received essential resource materials, as they learned more about Japanese society and culture in relation to their roles as ALTs and CIR.
The JET Programme, according to the Japanese Embassy, was launched by its government in 1987 with hopes of deepening mutual understanding between its people and those of other countries through foreign-language exchange and cultural immersion. Between its inception and 2019, around 5,761 participants from 57 countries had already been admitted into the program.
In the next few years JET foresees bringing in even more participants from across the globe, including the Philippines, to Japan. To learn more about the JET Programme, visit https://www.jetprogramme.org/.
Image credits: EU Delegation, Japanese Embassy