OAS Assistant Secretary- General Albert Ramdin

In hailing the resumption of the scholarship program for undergraduate or graduate degrees, as well as for technical studies and professional development, the Assistant Secretary General stressed that the OAS scholarship program “is an invaluable facilitator for education and capacity-building as important building blocks for the economies of our countries.”

Ramdin further observed that the OAS has a role to play in strengthening governability, as well as human and institutional capacity. “OAS fellowships represent one important way to assist countries with good governance by helping to ensure there are well-educated people and capacity on the ground,” Ramdin added.

The OAS Scholarship and Training Program, one of the largest such programs in the Americas, annually offers funding for educational opportunities to hundreds of individuals throughout the hemisphere. It is administered by the Department of Human Development in the form of academic, technical studies and professional development scholarships.

The OAS program operates on the philosophy that studying at universities and other higher learning institutions in countries throughout the hemisphere also creates the opportunity for the citizens of the Americas to integrate in each other’s communities, and to exchange experiences and information in the specialized areas of expertise or study.

The program for graduate and undergraduate scholarships was temporarily suspended last year to allow the organization to revamp, strengthen and tighten the procedures in order to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and reach of this critical program.