The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations stressed in Ponta Delgada the importance of qualifying Azorean youth for European issues in high-level training, such as that provided by the College of Europe.
 
Rui Bettencourt spoke during the announcement of the "José Medeiros Ferreira" scholarship for the 2018/2019 academic year and at the signing ceremony of its awarding to Carolina Silva Torres, a graduate in European Studies and International Policy from the University of the Azores. She will attend a postgraduate course in European Political and Governance Studies on the Bruges campus in Belgium.
 
"The College of Europe is a world reference school that provides young people studying external relations and European affairs with an in-depth knowledge on European matters in a very intense and interesting manner," Rui Bettencourt.
 
The Secretary for External Relations also highlighted the fact that the five scholarship holders from this programme who have previously attended that private institution now have "very interesting professional situations." In this context, the government official wished the best of luck to the new scholarship holder, whom he considered to be "on the right track for this qualification."
 
On the occasion, Rui Bettencourt recalled José Medeiros Ferreira as "a great man," noting the important played by this Azorean personality, "who promoted Portugal in Europe and promoted the Azores." The government official stressed that this scholarship was named after him in memory of José Medeiros Ferreira as "great defender of Europe."
 
Each year, the Government of the Azores awards the "José Medeiros Ferreira" Scholarship for attendance in postgraduate course at the College of Europe.
 
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 taking place.
 
The "José Medeiros Ferreira" Scholarship is awarded following the admission of students to the College of Europe; applicants must be aged up to 30 (at the beginning of the course). They are also required to have concluded their secondary education in the Region and to have resided in the archipelago for at least three years.