3 Trinidad and Tobago students head to Europe under Erasmus+ study programme

Three students from Trinidad and Tobago have been selected to study under the Erasmus-plus programme for 2023.

Scott Marchack and Daniella Boodoo were awarded full scholarships and Stephanie Ramsaroop will self-fund her course under the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree (EMJMD) programme, which allows eligible candidates to study at postgraduate level at some of Europe’s finest tertiary institutions.

Scott Marchack will do a master’s degree in work organisational and personnel psychology. He previously did a BA in psychology, with a minor in gender and development studies, at UWI, a media release said.

He is an activist and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights and gender equality who volunteers at Feminitt Caribbean. Scott learned about the scholarship from a previous Erasmus scholar.

"Being a feminist and LGBTQIA+ activist were a big part in the decision to pursue this masters,” he said in the release. “My hope is that I can pursue research that focuses on, and benefits the well-being of, queer and transgender people within workplaces and organisations.”

Marchack will leave in September to study at the University of Valencia in Spain and then the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

Boodoo will study in Austria and Finland, and then either Germany or Hungary (depending on her specialisation) as she does a master’s degree in research and innovation in higher education. She is a teacher and is passionate about education and excited to return to TT after completing the programme to contribute to the modernisation of this country’s education system, the release said.

She has completed a bachelor's of education at the University of TT and a master of education in curriculum at UWI.

Ramsaroop is an accomplished marine scientist and a certified PADI rescue diver. It is a job she has been travelling across the globe doing for the past ten years, the release said. She had been contemplating returning to university to do a masters in environmental management with specialisation in coral reef management and renewable energy when she was introduced to the Erasmus+ programme. She was accepted into the EMJMD as a self-funded student to do a degree in marine environment. Her studies will take her to the Azores (Portugal), Spain, Belgium and the UK.

The three students met with EU Ambassador to TT Peter Cavendish at the delegation in Port of Spain recently. Congratulating them on their achievements, Cavendish said, “The Erasmus+ EMJMD programme is an incredible opportunity for students around the world because not only does it allow for study at some of the best educational institutions in Europe, but it is also an opportunity for students to explore the continent and all it has to offer."

Lamenting that the Erasmus+ scholarship was not available when he was a student, he urged them to enjoy this unique educational and cultural experience, and expressed the confidence that upon their return to TT, they would become valuable assets through their contributions to this country’s development.

About Erasmus joint masters degree programme:

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are high-level integrated study programmes, at master level. They are designed and delivered by an international partnership of higher education institutions (HEI).They involve at least three HEI from three different countries, of which at least two must be EU member states and third countries associated with the programme.

By supporting these jointly-recognised degrees, the EU aims to foster excellence and internationalisation of the participating institutions.

There are also scholarships for students to take part in these prestigious programmes; the masters themselves offer them to the best-ranked applicants worldwide.

Scholarships cover the cost of a student’s participation in the programme, travel and a living allowance.

More info:

Anyone interested in applying to the EMJMD programme should consult the programme catalogue for information about course/degree offerings: https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/scholarships/erasmus-mundus-catalogue_en

More info is also available from the delegation’s website: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/trinidad-and-tobago/travel-study_en?s=156#8454