News & Announcements
OSI Supports New Generation of Roma Health Professionals in Romania
The Open Society Institute and the Roma Education Fund today announced the launch of the third year of a groundbreaking health and pharmacy scholarship program for Roma medical students and health professionals in Romania.
The scholarship program, “Leadership in Health: A Generation of Professionals in the Health Care System,” coincides with the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 and represents an unprecedented approach in Central and Eastern Europe.
The scholarships, which are funded by OSI, will support Roma students who are enrolled in medicine faculties courses or in nursing and midwives colleges, as well as to resident doctors. OSI and the Roma Education Fund will select students based on academic merits, professional motivation, and leadership potential.
Recipients of the scholarships will be eligible for additional funding to study a foreign language or to attend professional conferences. The scholars will also receive mentoring support, provided by the Romanian Resident Doctors Association, in order to further develop their academic and professional goals.
The students pre-selected for scholarships will participate in an advocacy training program to develop their abilities to effectively promote the right of Roma to health care services. As part of the training, an advocacy camp will be held in the summer of 2010, organized by the Center for Health Policies–Sastipen NGO.
In 2008, the first year of the scholarship program, OSI awarded scholarships to 35 Roma resident doctors and medical students in Romania. In 2009, 63 Roma resident doctors and medical students in Romania were awarded scholarships. The scholarship program expanded to Bulgaria in 2009, with 23 Roma resident doctors and medical students awarded scholarships.
Deadline
May 30, 2010
To Apply
The scholarship application package is available online at the Roma Education Fund website.
Applications must be submitted in hard copy to the following address:
Mr. Robert Matei
Resource Centre for Roma Communities
21 Tebei Str.
400305 Cluj Napoca
Romania
