Two Timorese DAAD-SEARCA scholars have been accepted to the UPLB Graduate School upon their completion of the six-month Academic Bridging Program at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in the first semester of School Year 2009/2010.

Natalino B Martins (left) and Alfonso Alves de Jesus Candido (right).

Beginning in second semester of School Year 2009/2010, Mr. Natalino B Martins will pursue his MS in Animal Science while Mr. Afonso Alves de Jesus Candido will pursue the Master of Public Affairs program. Mr. Martins works with Caritas Australia Timor-Leste, while Mr. Candido teaches at the Faculty of Economics, Institute of Business, Timor-Leste.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) had supported the Academic Bridging Program of both scholars.

Under the Program, Mr. Martins pursued a non-degree program in animal science while Mr. Candido pursued a non-degree program in agribusiness management. They took up undergraduate technical courses that enhanced their knowledge in their respective areas of specialization. They also completed the Language Instruction Towards Excellence (LITE) Program offered by the UPLB Graduate School to improve their proficiency in the English language. The DAAD will continue to support the MS programs of the two scholars.

SEARCA’s Academic Bridging Program aims to provide assistance to best qualified scholarship candidates from the transition economies of Southeast Asia, including Timor-Leste, in upgrading the BS degree of agriculture graduates to enable them to qualify for admission to the Graduate School of reputable universities in Southeast Asia and even outside the region.

Since 2001 up to present, the DAAD has supported the MS studies of  26 Timor-Leste nationals. Of the 26 scholarship recipients, 12 had already completed their MS programs, while nine are ongoing scholars.