The Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, has encouraged students in Abia State to take full advantage of the Union’s flagship academic initiative, the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Programme.

Mignot gave the charge on Wednesday during an engagement with the management and students of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, stressing that Erasmus remains one of the most prestigious international scholarships in the world.

He explained that the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are international postgraduate programmes jointly designed and delivered by multiple higher institutions across Europe, offering students the chance to study in at least two countries with access to both academic and non-academic partners.

“This programme is very generous and rare to find elsewhere. Abia students must work hard and meet the criteria because it is not an all-comers affair,” Mignot said, while urging them to embrace the opportunity to improve themselves academically and professionally.

The visit, the first of its kind in the South-East, also provided the Ambassador the platform to sensitise students about the fully funded opportunities and share the EU’s broader vision of peace, cooperation, and global leadership.

Abia State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Uche Eme Uche, praised the Rector of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Dr. Okoro Christopher Kalu, for transforming the institution in both infrastructure and academic reputation. She also lauded Governor Alex Otti’s support for higher institutions across the state.

Eme further assured the Ambassador that Abia students possess the competence and creativity to meet the Erasmus criteria, citing the school’s track record of innovation and hands-on training.