The Prime Minister of Denmark, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, arrived at the University of the Virgin Islands on the morning of April 1, bearing gifts: An announcement that the Danish government will establish a scholarship program for students from the University of the Virgin Islands to study at a Danish university for one semester. This scholarship program, which provides approximately $1 million Danish krone or $143,300 U.S. Dollars, will cover the costs of tuition and living expenses for up to 10 students each year, for an initial five-year period. The first scholarships will be granted in 2018.
“I am very pleased to announce this scholarship program,” said Prime Minister Rasmussen. “We Danes are aware that the 250-year history in which Denmark played a crucial role in the Virgin Islands has not been told the same way in both countries.” Rasmussen continued, “We can’t change the past, but we can try to learn from it and find common ground by enhancing the interaction between Denmark and the Virgin Islands. If we invest in the future by empowering youngsters with the knowledge and insight that higher education provides, we will build a base for a stronger commitment to shared values and interests in the future.”
More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI website – http://www.uvi.edu/ - and from this direct link.