Aiming to strengthen the ties of cooperation in the educational area, Russia announces 90 scholarships for students of Tanzania to study at the country's leading universities. This was announced during a press conference in Dar es Salaam ,Tanzania.
Daria Ilienko, Acting Director, Russian Cultural Centre, said the scholarship campaign was aimed at developing education ties. "Today, we launch a new campaign for Tanzanians to study in Russia, continuing a tradition of support that has existed since the Soviet Union", Ilienko stated.
The programme aims to empower Tanzanian students so that they can return to their motherland as absolute knowledgeable ones who will utilize their knowledge and expertise to benefit their communities. So far, over 5,000 Tanzanians have graduated from Russian universities, boasting highly valued skills in many areas.
"The Russian government has supported scholarships for higher education for a long time. Our goal is not to take Tanzania's best minds away but to develop them so they can uplift their communities", Ilienko explained.
According to Boniface Assenga, Project Manager at the Russian Cultural Centre, the scholarship programme pays for tuition but not travel costs, accommodation, or food in Russia. "Applicants must meet some minimum academic requirements before being eligible for this scholarship", says Mr Assenga. "For instance, A-level students ought to have a minimum of Division II, while for Bachelor's degree holders, it is the same but on top of having a diploma with a GPA not lower than 3.5". Applicants for the Master's qualification must have a Bachelor's degree with a CGPA of 3.5 and above, and those seeking the PhD qualification must have a Master's degree award by the same CGPA threshold.
Under the program, successful applicants will undergo an eight-month Russian language course that prepares them for studying and makes integration into Russian society easier. "Proficiency in Russian is crucial, since the course work will be in Russian, and it will help students get temporary jobs", Assenga observed.
Students interested in applying may visit the Russian Cultural Centre where Education and Development Manager Elena Simonova will help them with their application. An educational exhibition of representatives of the top 12 Russian universities is scheduled on October 30. On this day, the student will be given information about the courses and professional careers offered by the respective universities.
While this scholarship program portrays continuous cooperation with education, at the same time, it offers the possibility of preparing the future leaders of Tanzania with the required expertise for their participation in national development activities. Further possibilities for studying in Russia allow Tanzanian students to expand their worldview.
