{Netherlands embassy in Rwanda says that the country has offered many scholarship opportunities to Rwandans to attend university courses and short professional courses as well but the number of applicants has reduced.}
The Netherlands ambassador to Rwanda, Frédérique Maria De Man has revealed that her country is committed to building capacity in the Rwanda education sector and provides further assistance through Netherlands Fellowship Program (NUFFIC).
Programs aimed at facilitating people to study in Netherlands include Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP) which offers scholarship to 51 countries including Rwanda in short courses, Master’s degree and PhD.
Rwanda students studying under the scholarship of Netherland in Master’s degree have reduced from 40 students in 2013; 34 students in 2014 while in 2015 only 11 students benefited. Students on short courses scholarship were 31 in 2013; 12 in 2014 and were reduced to 3 in 2015.
Ambasaderi Frédérique Maria De Man requests Rwandans to maximize benefits of such scholarship opportunities.
“We have realized that people are not aware of such opportunities. This year’s applications’ closing date is April 30th, 2016. People must know that there are many scholarship opportunities in Netherlands,” she said.
Ambassador De Man says that no matter how short time is remaining for scholarship applicants, Rwandans should get ready for next year’s round of trainings reserved for employees who will be selected from any institution to attend capacity building trainings.
The secretary of Netherlands embassy in Rwanda, João Vasco Rodriguez said that through the program of NFP, employers are helped to pay salaries of employees who went to attend trainings in Netherlands. He added that trainees also receive living allowances, accommodation fees, school fees and research expenses.
Netherlands has been helping Rwanda where various institutions sent employees for trainings.
There is also a program of NICHE which takes responsibility of building capacities. The program, which has been in place since 2009 and recruited 14 times, gives priority to judicial sectors, economic development, promoting private sectors, agriculture and agro-processing.
To date, 300 Rwandans have benefited from the scholarship programs in Netherlands including the minister of labor and public service, Judith Uwizeye; the governor of National Bank of Rwanda, John Rwangombwa; the CEO of WASAC James Sano among others working in judicial sectors and elsewhere.
Netherland has various famous universities including Utrecht University, University of Amsterdam, University of Groningen, Delft University of Technology, Leiden University and University of Twente among others. Opportunities to study in such universities are applied for through the website of Netherlands embassy in Rwanda.

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