July 6, 2006
Mission Science Grants 2,000 Scholarships

(Ministry of Science and Technology, published in Ven-Global News) - "For the first time, a scholarship program for graduate students is designed in Venezuela in order to set down the research guidelines that strategically meet the country's needs. This program includes young people long excluded and provides for the Venezuelan brains to keep on working for the nation.

The IV Republic just granted 2,101 postgraduate scholarships in 27 years (1970-1997) according to the National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (Conicit, Spanish acronym), while Mission Science has assigned 2,000 scholarships for postgraduate studies in just 4 months all around the country in order to develop and strengthen the scientific, technical capabilities based on selection criteria such as social justice, knowledge relevance and academic quality.

Among the offered areas of knowledge, we can find basic and administrative sciences, health, education, agriculture, engineering, architecture and technology. 80 per cent of the shortlisted applicants come from public institutions and the country's most depressed states such as Amazonas, Delta Amacuro and Apure.

Mission Science, committed to the country's development and national talent, promotes local and national benefits; thus stopping the brain drain.

54.48 per cent of the applicants chose master studies. The scholarship will last two years. 29.91 per cent will take specialization courses for 18 months and 16.61 chose to study doctorates for three years.

Mission Science will support research and labs with USD $18,648 (doctorate courses) and USD $9,324 (master courses) through a specific agreement with each receiving unit. Universities and research centers benefiting from this incentive will guarantee ideal conditions to the scholarship holders so that they can achieve the objectives within the deadline".