125 students get Russian Government scholarships

RUSSIA will award 125 scholarships to Zimbabweans, as Harare and Moscow continue to deepen bilateral ties.

The scholarships, the majority of which will cover STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, will be fully funded by the Russian government.

Press attaché at the Russian embassy in Zimbabwe Mr Egor Kuropitnik told The Sunday Mail that beneficiaries of the scholarships will travel to Russia later this year.

“In 2024, the quota for Zimbabwean students is 125 places, a similar number to that of last year when 125 Zimbabwean students were awarded fully funded scholarships,” he said.

“The Russian government pays for the student’s education in full; that is, the full four years for a bachelor’s degree or the full two years for a master’s degree.”

Mr Kuropitnik urged interested students to apply.

“All Zimbabweans are eligible to participate in the selection from the established practice. All candidates first go through the Office of the President (and Cabinet), which deals with all national scholarships.

“Further, the staff also selects some of the students based on their academic performance,” he added.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary Mr Moses Mhike said: “As a nation, we have areas with some shortages of skilled personnel and these international scholarships help in filling these gaps.

“Doctors, engineers and scientists play a crucial role in the development of every nation and our nation benefits immensely from these scholarships.”

Over the past decade, the number of Africans studying in Russian universities has tripled from just over 10 000 to more than 30 000.

At least 1 200 Zimbabweans are currently studying at various Russian universities.