An increasing number of students choose every year to spend a study abroad period beyond the borders of Europe, in particular within the framework of the University of Luxembourg’s Global exchange programme, which offers students the choice between over 20 partner universities in the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Thailand, India, Uruguay and Russia.

During a ceremony held on 5th June at Campus Limpertsberg, the University of Luxembourg celebrated the students selected for an exchange within this programme for the academic year 2013-2014, in the presence of the Ambassador of the United States of America, Robert A. Mandell, the Ambassador of Japan to Luxembourg, Wataru Nishigahiro and the University of Luxembourg’s vice-president for organisation and international relations, Prof. Franck Leprévost.

On this occasion, two of the students were also awarded the U.S. Embassy – U.S. Enterprise Scholarship to carry out the mandatory study abroad period within their Bachelor’s programme in the United States. Pierre Rodenbourg will study for one semester at Miami University, Ohio, while Thierry Zois has chosen the University of Virginia’s College at Wise for his study abroad period. The scholarship was created in 2008 by the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg, the University of Luxembourg and U.S. companies present in Luxembourg (Airtech Europe, Brinks, Covidien Group, Deloitte, EMC, Goodyear, Guardian, IBM, John Deere Bank, JP Morgan, Ocean Oil Construction, Pfizer and State Street Bank). It is sponsored jointly by the Embassy and the companies and awarded every year to two or three Bachelor students.

In addition to that, a very special group of students was also honoured during the ceremony, namely the students selected for the University’s Top student prize. This prize is awarded every year to nine of the University’s best students. This year, it consists in a three-week summer school in Asian studies at Sophia University in the heart of Tokyo. This one-of-a-kind summer session offers the students the opportunity to learn some Japanese but also to experience many aspects of Japanese culture and society and learn about Japanese history, politics economy and religion. The selected students are Bachelor and Master students from the University’s three faculties.

Sophia University is the University of Luxembourg’s main partner institution in Japan and is part of a group called Global 30 which consists of the best universities in the country. In September 2012, Sophia University opened its European office at the University of Luxembourg.

Small photo:  University of Luxembourg students Pierre Rodenbourg and Thierry Zois were awarded the U.S. Embassy – U.S. Enterprise Scholarship in the presence of the Ambassador of the United States of America, Robert A. Mandell, and the University’s vice-president for organisation and international relations, Prof. Franck Leprévost (from l. to r.).

Main photo: Happy to go abroad: University of Luxembourg students selected for the University’s Top student prize as well as students selected for the “Global exchange programme”.

© Michel Brumat / Université du Luxembourg