10th Scholarship Fair Held!

The University of Sarajevo International Cooperation Service organized the 10th “Scholarship Fair” this year. Recognizing the importance of mobility, the UNSA International Cooperation Office successfully organizes the Scholarships Fair - a unique event of its kind in Bosnia and Herzegovina aiming to bring together all institutions awarding and/or administering scholarships or other financial support for studying in BiH and abroad, and enabling them to present their scholarship and financial support programs and to give visitors the opportunity to obtain all information on scholarship opportunities for further education in BiH or abroad, as student and faculty mobility is recognized in Europe and beyond.

Held at the University of Sarajevo on Thursday, 17 October 2019, the Fair was ceremonially opened by the University of Sarajevo Rector, Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj who in his welcome speech emphasized that university in its basis knows no borders. “We are witnessing this today. Since its establishment, the University of Sarajevo has been sensitive to the needs of the immediate and wider community. We are aware of the burden of the time we live in, and by organizing this fair, we wanted to express concern for students, teachers and associates of our university, as well as for all other persons from Bosnia and Herzegovina who are eager for knowledge, learning and the opportunity to be educated on their desired to a higher education institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina or abroad” said Rector Škrijelj.

The importance of this meeting was recognized by 54 institutions from 20 countries, including 8 Embassies, 34 universities, as well as representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations from domestic and international organizations. Traditionally, representatives of Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Russia, the United States of America, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey have been at the Fair, and for the first time this year, Belgian representatives.

The attendees were also greeted by H. E. Hideyuki SAKAMOTO, Ambassador of Japan to BiH who rated the Fair as a unique event aiming to bring together all institutions granting or administering scholarships and providing other types of financial support for study in BiH and abroad. H.E. Ambassador SAKAMOTO said that in Japan, approximately 300,000 foreign students were educated, of which approx. 10,000 were from European countries. H.E. Ambassador SAKAMOTO emphasized that Japanese MEXT scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students are accepts approx. 10000 students. From Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 50 selected applicants have so far used them. H.E. Ambassador Sakamoto emphasized that since the beginning of the current academic year, University of Sarajevo students can choose Japanese language as an elective course and expressed satisfaction that more and more Bosnian citizens, especially young people, are interested in learning Japanese and culture.

The Tenth Scholarship Fair is a part of the Third Week Training Program for International Staff held in the Rectorate from 15 to 18 October 2019, and the presence of these European partners highlights the importance of internationalization in which the University of Sarajevo is very active and raising awareness of the promotion of academic and administrative mobility, with this fair becoming the brand of our university along the way.

The 10th Scholarship Fair was attended by: University of New York in Tirana (Albania), Study in Austria/Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research (Austria), Higher Church Teacher Training School in Vienna (Austria), Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), International Committee of the Red Cross BiH (BiH), Humanity in Action BiH Foundation (BiH), Konrad Adenauer Foundation (BiH), IAESTE LC Sarajevo (BiH), Lightning Incubator/Info Platform Hoću.ba (BiH), State CEEPUS Office of BiH/Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH (BiH), University of Mostar (BiH), Charles University of Prague (Czech Republic), Palacky University of Olomouc (Czech Republic), Technical University of Belfort Montbéliard (France), University of Lumière Lyon 2 (France), University of Paris 8 (France), French Institute in BiH/Campus France BiH (France), Embassy of Greece in BiH (Greece), Embassy of Italy in BiH (Italy), Embassy of Japan in BiH (Japan), Embassy of Hungary in BiH (Hungary), Tomori Pál College (Hungary), Scholarship Program of the German Economy (Germany), Humboldt University of Berlin (Germany), Martin Luther University (Germany), Military University of Munich (Germany), DAAD (Germany), Jagiellonian University in Krakow (Poland), Polytechnic Institute in Beja (Portugal), Polytechnic Institute in Castelo Branco (Portugal), Polytechnic Institute in Guardi (Portugal), Polytechnic Institute in Leiria (Portugal), Polytechnic Institute in Santarem (Portugal), Polytechnic Institute in Tomar (Portugal), Embassy of the Russian Federation in BiH (Russia), EducationUSA (USA), Embassy of the Slovak Republic in BiH (Slovakia), Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica (Slovakia), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), University of Maribor (Slovenia), University of Nova Gorica (Slovenia), Experience work and travel (Serbia), CIPFP VALLE DE ELDA (Spain), University of Valladolid (Spain), Swedish Embassy in BiH (Sweden), Turkish Embassy in BiH (Turkey), Anadolu University (Turkey), Erasmus Student Network (BiH), National Erasmus + Office in BiH (BiH), Western Balkans Alumni Association (BiH), University of Sarajevo - Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (BiH), University of Sarajevo - Service for International Cooperation (BiH), University of Sarajevo - Office for Student Support (BiH), University of Sarajevo - Service for Research (BiH).