1.   Could you tell us more about your Erasmus scholarship?

I am a 2022 recipient of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Scholarship in European Studies. The course is a Master’s Degree in Euroculture. Offered by the European Commission through the Euroculture Consortium, it is a 2 years mobility programme where I will get to study in some of the top universities across Europe.

I will be starting the programme at the Uppsala University in Sweden. It is one of the top 100 universities in the world and it is known worldwide for its high academic standards and amazing research-based environment. I will then move to the University of Strasbourg for the second semester. This university is among the best in France and is also situated in a city where some of the most important EU institutions like the European Parliament, Council of Europe, European Courts of Human Rights are found.

As for the third semester I have the option to choose between a Research Track or a Professional Track. The research track prepares students for a prospective PhD research. If I opt for it, I will then have to carry out research in one of six Euroculture partner universities across Europe which are found in Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Czech Republic and Poland. The Professional Track introduces Euroculture students to the job market through internships and job placements. It covers a wide variety of sectors which are relative to the course and allows students to a real-life experience of what await them in the future.

Finally, I will spend my final semester either in Uppsala or Strasbourg where I will get the chance to write and ultimately defend my Master’s Thesis. 

2. How did you apply for this scholarship?

I did send my application last year around mid-November. I could have applied earlier let say in 2020 or 2019 but I obviously knew about the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship requirements. So waited long enough as I wanted to have the right sort of profile when sending my applications. I felt it was the right moment.

In the end, I applied for a few and ultimately, I am quite humble to state that I actually got nominated for four Erasmus Mundus scholarships. Other than the Euroculture one, I also got nominated as Erasmus Mundus Scholarship holder for the Master’s Degree programme in African Studies, Global Studies, and Migration/Intercultural Studies.

It is quite an honour that these consortiums have seen potential in me. For some, I even had to do an interview but all went well. When the first nomination came through, I really could not believe it.  It was somehow a surreal feeling which was hard to process it. But then in a space of few weeks, others nominations came one after the other.

But I have always worked very hard. I suppose, these nominations were representative of the fruit of all these years of dedication and perseverance. I also kept in mind all the hardships endured by my parents to give me the right upbringing and education. This in itself was a source of motivation for me.

3. How do you feel about this opportunity to study in Europe?

I am extremely excited. From all the Erasmus Mundus courses, it was the one which I really wanted to do. As a mobility programme, it provides with students a most unique combination of in-depth knowledge and practical skills within an extensive multidisciplinary curriculum. The questions of cultural identities and social values indubitably play a vital role in today’s debates about Europe and its place in the world. This course is ideal for students who understand that Europe’s future will be shaped not only by economics, politics or security, but also by struggles over identities, values, and heritage.

This will be my second study experience in Europe. I was previously awarded the Estonian School of Diplomacy Scholarship which was sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia. From 2020 till 2021 I lived in Tallinn, where I completed a Post Graduate Certificate programme in International Relations and European Integration at the Estonian School of Diplomacy. This was a great experience all together and paved way for further research I wanted to carry out in the study of European Politics and Society.

4.  Why such an interest in Europe?

From a young age, I was fascinated by European History. The Revolution in France and Russia, the Industrial Revolution in the UK, the outbreak of The World Wars, the personality traits of Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini, Lenin, Stalin, Churchill, Gorbachev among others were topics of great interest to me. In no time, I nurtured the love and passion for History and International Relations regarding this particular region.

My undergraduate studies also gave me the chance to explore the history, political and economy aspect of the continent further. Interestingly, my undergraduate dissertation which is entitled Developments in Diplomacy in 21^st century Africa included a thorough analysis of the contemporary Diplomatic Relations African Countries and the African Union share with the European counterparts. I cannot wait to engage in further research along this line. Recently, I got really interested in the field Security and Geopolitics as well. I believe these, will be areas where I aim to specialize in the future.

5.  Have you had any other experience with the EU that you would like to talk about and that have maybe prompted you in applying for an Erasmus scholarship?

Yes, I previously was contacted by the Delegation of European Union in Mauritius to perform the duty of Chairperson of the simulation of the African Union-European Union summit. This was such an enriching experience in itself. I am very grateful to the Delegation in Mauritius for such an opportunity. I must also state that it was through the Delegation that I took cognizance of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship programme. I knew I would apply to the programme from the onset but I was not sure when exactly. I am delighted that everything ultimately mapped out well in the end.

(Interview of Jessen Samy carried out in August 2022).