11 Pak graduates get MEXT Scholarship

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

* Japan up for the cause of education

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Aiming to provide students an opportunity to pursue higher studies in their respective fields of study in Japanese universities, the government of Japan on Friday awarded MEXT Research Scholarships for year 2010 to the 11 postgraduate students of Pakistan.

This fully funded Japanese scholarships programme is designed to contribute to long-term development needs of Pakistan for promoting good governance, economic growth and human development.

The scholarship grantees have been selected by the Embassy of Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT) in collaboration with the MEXT Alumni Association of Pakistan (MAAP).

Chihiro Atsumi, the ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, hosted a reception at his official residence in the honour of the scholarship grantees.

The alumni of this scholarship programme were also invited to the reception to exchange views and share their knowledge with fresh scholarship grantees.

In the opening speech, the Japanese ambassador asked the students to prepare for the changes they would encounter in Japan.

He also expressed his hope that the students would come back to Pakistan and work towards betterment of Pakistan-Japan relations.

Atsumi hoped that the students would not only learn Japanese language, but also communicate with Japanese people. He said Life in Japan would be completely different from that of Pakistan. “For instance, while trying to maintain its traditional lifestyle, Japan is equipped with modern technology, from subway stations to private homes. You may find it interesting to see advanced technology and machinery everywhere and they can at times inconvenience you. But I hope the hospitality and friendship of the Japanese people will get you through any adjustments you need to make,” the ambassador said.

At the end, he congratulated all scholarship grantees for their accomplishments and wished them best of luck in further studies.

Over 100 MEXT Research scholars have successfully returned to Pakistan after obtaining their PhD /Master’s degrees in Japan. They are actively working in various fields, making a significant contribution to Japan-Pakistan relationship by different means.