Many opportunities for scholarships in Europe

Many opportunities for scholarships in Europe

Zora Rahman, Contributor, Jakarta

Pesona Pingka is more than a nice riverside garden restaurant
on the outskirts of Yogyakarta. It is a successful eco-farming
project, the product of the sophisticated biotech knowledge and
international experience of its Balinese owner.

The terraced restaurant with its own garden and several fish
ponds is the latest highlight in the career of Wayan Artama, a
career marked by an enormous amount of courage and consistency.
Since his youth he dreamed of owning his own restaurant, and he
found the ideal complement for this old dream through his
scientific studies, which taught him about modern ecological
techniques, during his doctoral scholarship in Germany.

Today, the biochemist offers his guests healthy food and
relaxation in a beautiful and clean environment.

Wayan Artama has always had the soul of a pioneer. Twenty
years ago, he was one of the very first Indonesian students to
receive a scholarship to study in Germany. To be exact, he was
the second student from Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University to be
selected by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for the
chance to continue his postgraduate studies at the Free
University in the former West-Berlin.

This was a lucky break for Wayan himself, but advantageous for
his sponsors as well. He not only finished his doctoral degree
with excellent grades, he also built an academic network between
scientists of both countries, one still active today, supporting
the interaction of scholars between Germany and Indonesia (GIANT
- German-Indonesian Academic Network and Training, contact: 0274-
543701).

In 1982, the range of scholarships was still quite limited.
Today, only the DAAD offers the possibility of four different
doctorates to a biochemistry student with Wayan's qualifications
(S2-degree with an average minimum of 2.75 grade point average
and an excellent TOEFL-score), even including what is available
from other European institutions such as the British Council,
Edufrance or the Netherlands Education Center.

"An advantage of studying in Europe -- as opposed to America
-- is the possibility of learning another foreign language
besides English, as well as experiencing a huge variety of
different cultures," Wayan said. "I chose Germany because it is
especially recommended for all fields of technical science -- and
because universities there do not require student fees."

Those considering applying for a scholarship in Europe should
inform themselves carefully about the conditions and
qualifications. Those who are not yet fluent in the relevant
language must calculate how long it will take before becoming
fluent enough to continue their studies. Being prepared for
lifestyle, social, and cultural changes can avoid a loss of study
time caused by unanticipated cultural shocks.

The different education systems also need to be considered.
While French and English universities have strictly organized
schedules for their students, German schools leave students
relatively free to create their own schedules.

"This freedom is only recommended for students who have enough
discipline to organize themselves", Wayan Artama said. "For me it
was a very useful lesson in discipline and willpower."

This attitude has already influenced Wayan's daughter, who
spent her early childhood with her parents in Berlin. Fluent in
German and English, she is now studying French and hopes to
receive a scholarship to study in Paris, the city of her dreams.
Her father sees this as a logical continuation of his
experiences.

Studying should, of course, be the primary focus of a
scholarship student. However, an inevitable but valuable side
benefit is the various experiences scholars gain by staying in
another country with another culture.

"Everybody who wants to achieve something in life needs to
look for experiences of this kind -- to learn how to deal with
other people, to create networks, and to be innovative and
flexible in his way of thinking," Wayan said. "At the very least,
you will find out a lot about yourself."

Service and Information:

http://uksholarshipsdatabase.britishcouncil.org/
The British Council is a recommended search engine for
scholarships in Great Britain. It gives 350 different offers for
Indonesian students

www.edufrance.fr The number of scholarships granted by the
French government is very limited. Consequently, the selection
process is quite strict. Minimum conditions: The applicants need
an S2-degree and may not be older than 35. Priority is given to
doctoral subjects that are related to Indonesia, especially law,
politics and the social sciences. Connections with agricultural
or health concerns might be an advantage. You can telephone
021-310795 or e-mail: cultujkt@uninet.net.id

www.daad.de The German Academic Exchange Service has reorganized
the structure of its student programs. The two big lines are now
called "study scholarships" for students who want to reach the
German equivalent of the S2-degree (1 to 24 months) and "research
scholarships" for postgraduates (10 months to three years,
deadline for the next application round: Dec. 23, 2002).

Beside that, there are offers of special scholarships; for
example, the "biosciences" program (next application deadline:
March 1, 2003) or the "Leibniz-Stipendium", provided that the
student finds a German Institution that accommodates the
applicant's research area. The DAAD office is open for student
consultation from Monday to Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. (phone:
021-5252807, email: daadjak@rad.net.id)

www.netherlandsembassy.or.id/html/nec.cfm
The website of the Netherlands Education Center in Jakarta,
created by Dutch Universities and Institutes for International
Education, informs candidates from Indonesia about university
programs in the Netherlands (offers a wide range of study
programs in English, as well)

www.mtv411.com/education-scholarships&grants.htm
A general search engine for international scholarships.