EMPM Scholarship Holders from Myanmar Visit the DAAD Brussels Office

The Brussels programme aimed to complement the academic component of the Summer School by providing insights into the work of European institutions and opportunities for exchange with actors involved in European higher education and international cooperation.

The programme included meetings with representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European External Action Service. The scholarship holders also exchanged views with the European University Association (EUA), the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), the European Students’ Union (ESU), the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, and the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the European Union.

A particular focus was placed on the scholarship holders’ own experiences of international higher education mobility. During discussions with representatives of the European Commission, they shared their personal educational journeys and their experiences of resuming their academic studies at universities in different ASEAN member states after being unable to continue their studies in Myanmar.

The discussions also addressed the challenges students can face when restarting their studies in a new higher education system. These include, among other things, the recognition of previously completed studies and qualifications, financial and language barriers, and adapting to unfamiliar higher education systems. The scholarship holders’ personal experiences highlighted the importance of international student mobility in keeping educational pathways open.

The role of European higher education and research cooperation was another important topic throughout the study visit. The scholarship holders gained insights into European education and research policies and discussed opportunities for international cooperation, as well as the role of students and higher education institutions in European and international policy debates.

The EMPM is an EU-funded pilot programme led by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), in cooperation with Campus France and Nuffic. The programme supports students from Myanmar who have been unable to continue their higher education by enabling them to pursue their studies at universities in ASEAN member states.

The study visit in Brussels therefore provided the scholarship holders not only with an opportunity to learn more about European institutions and organisations, but also to contribute their own experiences and perspectives to discussions on international higher education mobility.