IsDB partners with French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and Campus France to launch joint international scholarship programme

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has partnered with the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and Campus France to launch a joint international scholarship which aims to expand development of human capacity and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This initiative is the latest in collaboration and partnership agreements between IsDB the French Government as well as the wider French business community and will enable residents of IsDB’s 57 member countries, and Muslim faithful in non-member countries, to study at reputable universities in France.

200 students and scholars at undergraduate, masters and doctorate levels will have the opportunity to apply for this scholarship and improve in specific development fields of study, with a special focus on sustainability sciences aiming to build the right competencies required to empower communities and achieving national and global development plans including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This will equip students to become professionals committed to the development of their respective countries.

More than half of IsDB Group’s 57 member countries are categorised as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), needing international support to excel in all sectors of development, including education. Through this joint scholarship, IsDB will add to more than 17,000 students and scholars who have benefited from the Bank’s scholarship programmes

The first intake for the scholarship programme will be admitted to French Universities for the academic year 2020 – 2021 with zero tuition fees. In addition, Campus France will provide the necessary mentoring, guidance and counselling to ensure their academic success and equally facilitate their financial entitlements, accommodation, health insurance coverage. Campus France will also promote the IsDB scholarship programme in all the IsDB member countries as well as in France.

Speaking at the launch event, Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank Group said, “Partnering with a prominent institution like Campus France in this Programme provides a unique transformational experience that combines academic excellence and practitioners’ leadership with the aim to push the frontier of learning to new horizons and cater for a scientifically advanced society in the member countries that are largely underprivileged…This is at the core of IsDB’s mandate of Empowering Communities through Education for Sustainable Development.”

France will ensure providing IsDB students with quality education system and advanced research and discover an extremely rich cultural background and unique opportunity to share experiences of addressing the universal challenges and play leadership role in their countries.

Original source: IsDB
Published on 26 February 2020