The Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (VBO/FEB) has decided to renew its Herman VAN ROMPUY scholarship for a third cycle. That excellent news was reported to the Rector of the College of Europe, Federica MOGHERINI, during a virtual meeting earlier yesterday.
Since 2015, the VBO/FEB has been awarding a yearly scholarship to a Belgian student who has been admitted to the prestigious College of Europe in Bruges. The scholarship, named after former President of the European Council, Herman VAN ROMPUY, aims to encourage young Belgian students who are motivated by entrepreneurship to think and act in a European way.
The Herman VAN ROMPUY scholarship is sponsored by two foundations - the Bekaert Foundation and the Fondation van der Rest - which were created in honour of two honorary presidents of the VBO/FEB. The scholarship winner is chosen by a jury on the basis of a series of assignments that assess the students' knowledge and motivation. The chosen student will not only have the opportunity to study at the College of Europe for a full year, but will then also be welcomed at the VBO/FEB for a paid internship within the competence centre Europe & International, where the acquired academic knowledge is immediately converted into work experience.
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This scholarship was initially awarded for a period of three years and was renewed for the first time in 2018. Given the success of this initiative, it was therefore decided yesterday to continue the fruitful cooperation for another three years.
Pieter TIMMERMANS, CEO of the Federation of Belgian Enterprises, says the extension of the scholarship is self-evident: “In times of crisis it is important to invest in human capital, especially when it comes to young talent at the start of a promising career. That is exactly what this scholarship stands for: giving a boost to Belgian young people who are motivated by entrepreneurship and who also recognize the importance of the European context in which we find ourselves.”
Rector of the College of Europe Federica MOGHERINI is also delighted: “These scholarships allow us to recruit talented Belgian students who, thanks to the College experience, will be able to make a real difference, on either the national or European level, in their chosen field of work. The chance of an internship at such a prestigious organisation is an excellent start to such a career. We are grateful for the continued VBO support and honoured that the scholarships bear the name of our President.”
The VBO/FEB would like to thank both foundations, as well as former President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, explicitly for their continued support. It looks forward to continuing the excellent cooperation with the College of Europe for the organization of this scholarship and looks forward to supporting talented students in their academic and professional ambitions in the coming years.