The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations highlighted today the need and importance of "young people with expertise in international relations and European affairs."
 
Rui Bettencourt spoke on occasion of the announcement of the allocation of "José Medeiros Ferreira" scholarship for 2017. He also spoke during the public session for the signing of the scholarship contract with Rodrigo de Melo Borges Fernandes Vaz for attendance in the postgraduate course on International Relations of the European Union and Diplomatic Studies at the College of Europe in Bruges (Belgium).
 
"European affairs are growing increasingly complex. The corridors of Brussels are more difficult as the knowledge on European issues, legislation and relations are becoming more complex and we need highly specialised technical staff," said the government official. In this context, he stressed that, with this course, the young fellow will specialise in a very important area for the Region that has a high level of employability inside and outside the Azores.
 
The Secretary for External Relations mentioned another aspect of this Scholarship, allocated for the fourth time, particularly the fact that it was named after Professor José Medeiros Ferreira.
 
For Rui Bettencourt, this Scholarship evokes "professor José Medeiros Ferreira, a great pro-European and a great Azorean who was major promoter of Portugal's accession to the then EEC." He was also "a great humanist who stimulated and nurtured the European humanism that is at the core of modern Europe as well as of the Europe we defend."
 
The Government of the Azores annually awards the José Medeiros Ferreira Scholarship for attendance in a postgraduate course at the College of Europe, thus honouring the Azorean teacher, researcher and politician. This scholarship supports tuition fees (including accommodation and meals) and a round trip from the student's residence to the country where the course is being attended.
 
Rodrigo Vaz, resident in Ponta Delgada, will attend the postgraduate course in International Relations of the European Union and Diplomatic Studies on Bruges Camp - Belgium in the academic year 2017/2018.
 
In the academic year 2016/2017, Henrique Fonseca, from Ribeira Grande, attended the postgraduate course in European Interdisciplinary Studies at the College of Europe in Natolin (Warsaw-Poland). In the academic year 2015/2016, the José Medeiros Ferreira scholarship was awarded to Roberto Costa Pacheco for attendance in a postgraduate course in Political and Administrative Studies in Bruges, Belgium. Furthermore, Filipa Santos Machado, also from the Azores, was awarded a scholarship by a private entity. Both students graduated in the University of the Azores.
 
Previously, students Margarida Rodrigues and Constança Freitas were also recipients of this scholarship, having undertaken traineeships in Europe. Currently, both of them are working at EU institutions in Luxembourg and Brussels.
 
Founded in 1949, the college of Europe is a private educational institution of recognised international prestige that has great tradition in the study, analysis and discussion of European affairs. Its campuses of Bruges (Belgium) and Natolin (Poland) annual welcome more than 400 postgraduate students in the fields of Law, Economics, Politics and Administration, International and Diplomatic Relations, and European Interdisciplinary Studies.