MUSCAT -- The European Union's Erasmus Mundus programme which aims to enhance quality in higher education through scholarships and academic cooperation between Europe and the rest of the world, is offering mobility for 58 people from four GCC Universities including Sultan Qaboos University, for the year 2014. This figure includes 5 postdocs, 17 PhDs, 11 master's and 25 university staff. As per the scholarship programme offered by the European Union, 17 EU students and staff will study in different GCC countries where as 41 GCC nationals will study in different European Union universities. The total funding offered amounts to 1.23 million Euros.
Prof Hadj Bourdoucen, Director of the Communication and Information Research Centre at SQU and the focal point of Erasmus Mundus SECRET (Strengthening Research Collaborations in High Impact and Emerging Technologies between GCC and EU) for Oman, said that Omani students and staff from SQU should submit their applications before February 9 for the first call of the academic year 2014. Representing SQU and Oman, Prof. Bourdoucen had attended the kick off meeting of the Erasmus Mundus SECRET meeting in UAE University recently. He said that the duration of the mobility depends on the level of studies or research or staff status whether that is Masters, Doctorate, Post-doctorate and administrative and teaching staff. The EM SECRET Consortium is composed of 10 Partner Universities including 4 Gulf Universities and 6 European Universities coordinated by City University London (UK).
The European Union partners are City University London, UK, Technische Universitat Dresden, Germany, University of Magna Graecia, Italy, University of Deusto, Spain, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, and Frederick University, Cyprus. The Gulf partners include Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, University of Bahrain, Kuwait University, and UAE University. Prof Bourdoucen further said that scholarships for Masters level mobility will include (from Gulf to Europe) € 1000 per month for a duration of 6 to 12 months, travel costs, and insurance coverage. "Scholarships for Doctorate level mobility will include € 1,500 per month for a duration of 6 to 36 months, travel costs, and insurance coverage. Scholarships for Post -- Doctoral level mobility will include € 1,800 per month for a duration of 6 months, travel costs and insurance coverage. Scholarships for Staff level mobility will include € 2,500 per month for a duration of 1 to 2 months, travel costs, and insurance coverage".
The host institution is responsible for paying the grants to the students and academic staff. Each host institution are free to establish their own payment modalities provided they respect the full amount to be paid out and that the payments are performed on a regular basis, preferable on a monthly basis and for periods not longer than three months. Payments will be transferred by the students' host university to their European bank accounts. Travel arrangements and insurance will be provided by coordinating institution -- City University London. Prof Hadj concluded that Erasmus Mundus SECRET offers a good opportunity for Omani students and academic and administrative staff at Sultan Qaboos University to avail the state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge research opportunities available in EU universities. All details can be found at the project web site at: www.emsecret.eu/
© Oman Daily Observer 2014
