Agreement between Colombia and TU/e for arrival of Colombian PhD students
The track leads to a so-called double degree; a PhD title from both TU/e and the National University of Colombia.
TU/e and ICETEX, the Colombian body for funding studies for the less fortunate, today signed an agreement for the arrival of ten Colombian PhD students at TU/e's Department of Electrical Engineering. In addition, the parties intend to offer a second batch of ten Colombian PhD students the opportunity to come to Eindhoven. At the signing, TU/e professor Idelfonso Tafur Monroy was made an honorary citizen of Colombia.
The call for Colombian talent to apply is expected to open in January. Only PhD students who were already selected for an ICETEX scholarship in Colombia are eligible to apply. The selected PhD students will receive a loan from ICETEX to go to Eindhoven for two years. The other two years of the PhD program will take place at the National University of Colombia. The track leads to a so-called double degree; a PhD title from both institutions.
The candidate doctoral students must write a proposal for the research they are planning to do. In terms of their assignment, they will be somewhat freer than regular PhD students, who are usually engaged in larger research projects.
Dean Bart Smolders of the Electrical Engineering department is pleased with the agreement. "This is a win-win situation. We get Colombian top talent in engineering science & technology. And the Colombian PhD students can do research with us at an internationally acclaimed university with state-of-the-art labs and facilities."
The scheme came about thanks to the efforts of TU/e Professor of Terahertz Photonic Systems, Idelfonso Tafur Monroy, who is originally from Colombia. He will receive the honorary citizenship of his homeland on this occasion, from the Colombian ambassador to the Netherlands. Professor Tafur Monroy receives this recognition because he is a leading figure in scientific research and projects that promote innovation in the field of photonics and telecommunications as well as an example for young Colombians, and because he helps to generate opportunities and progress for the country.