Filipino scholars at EU education program among best performing students

FILE PHOTO: European Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium May 5, 2021. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino scholars at a European Union (EU) educational program are among the best performing students, the EU Delegation to the Philippines revealed on Friday.

Aside from having more than 40 Erasmus+ scholars who have either graduated with honors or those who had their works published in scholarly journals, the EU delegation said that the Philippines has been one of the top 10 countries with the highest number of qualified scholars from 2004 to 2020.

To sum it up, EU’s delegation in the Philippines said that if the Erasmus+ program were an Olympic event, then the country would have bagged the gold medal.

“If there can be an Olympics among the Erasmus+ scholars, Filipinos will be among the gold medalists.  Worldwide, the Philippines has been among the top ten countries, with the highest number of scholars from 2004 to 2020. More than 600 Filipino scholars availed of the Erasmus+ scholarship and mobility (MA and Ph D) programs,” EU Delegation to the Philippines said.

“And these Filipino youth are setting the bar high in the European Union.  An initial survey conducted by the Delegation  of the European Union to the Philippines showed more than 40 Filipino scholars have  either graduated with honors (Cum Laude to Summa Cum Laude) or have their works published in  scholarly journals,” it added.

The Erasmus+, an EU program to “support education, training, youth and sport in Europe,” is an initiative where students from different parts of the world can experience liberal European education from different universities in the Union.

According to its website, EU is pumping around €26.2 billion to the program, which “places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life.”

Right now, the EU delegation to the Philippines said that two Filipino scholars with the Erasmus+ are finishing their Master’s Degrees with Summa Cum Laude honors.

“This mid-September, Architect and Heritage conservation expert Kenneth J. Tua is graduating with Mention Très Bien. He studied in 7 universities, learned 6 languages, obtained five Master’s degrees and received three online certifications in prestigious colleges.  He is undertaking four research publications,” the EU delegation to the Philippines said.

“Assistant Professor Jay Michael Cordero from the University of San Agustin-Iloilo is graduating this 11 September in KU Leuven, Belgium.  From someone who did not have a thorough background in sports ethics, Jay Michael started to read books and articles in sports ethics three months before the classes started,” it added.

Two other scholars in Graciela Mante and and Erwin Alcasid have already graduated from their respective programs.

Supervising Economic Development Specialist Graciela Mante graduated Cum Laude last September 2020. She is now putting into good use her academic background and is part of the team formulating the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document,” the EU delegation said.

“Global Sustainability Manager Erwin Alcasid echoed the aspirations of his fellow scholars […] A Magna Cum Laude graduate, Erwin delivered the valedictory address during his graduation at the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering of Ghent University last September 2020,” it added.

JPV