UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship: Attracting global talent
This academic year, the UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship has been awarded to three international master’s students, providing them the opportunity to study at Maastricht University (UM) and collaborate with the Brightlands triple-helix innovation campuses. Interest in this scholarship is growing considerably, with applications more than doubling since the first recipients started two years ago.
The three new scholarship recipients will conduct research in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Biobased Materials, and Biomedical Sciences. Their work will contribute to developments in sustainability, health and digitalisation—key areas of focus for the Brightlands campuses. Normally we give out four scholarships per year (1 per Brightlands campus), but this year one student chose to opt out.
All these students not only benefit from Maastricht University's academic excellence but also from being immersed in the collaborative ecosystem of the Brightlands campuses, where academia, industry and government meet.
As one scholarship recipient put it: “Here at the campus there is a much closer relationship between universities and companies, which is very nice. You can really see what the future looks like, feel the energy, talk to people. There are also so many lectures, given by people working for the companies at the campus, and these presentations inspire you with ideas. Before I came here, I actually didn’t have the slightest inkling about that future. Brightlands brings all of this very close. It’s a very stimulating environment to be in.”
This year's scholarship recipients flanked by Brightlands Communications & Branding Manager Angèl Nijskens (second from right).
Photo: Marcel van Hoorn
Top-performing international students
Brightlands consists of four innovation campuses across the Netherlands’ southern Limburg province: Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo, Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Sittard-Geleen, Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus and Brightlands Smart Services Campus in Heerlen. At these campuses, different communities contribute to groundbreaking innovations in the fields of circularity, health, nutrition and data. They focus on combinations of these areas to broaden their research perspectives and open up new avenues for innovation.
The scholarship is aimed at attracting top-performing non-EU/EEA master’s students who are committed to contributing to the development of these campuses. The plan is to include participation in the Thesis Research Programme asa mandatory component of the scholarship. This will require students to write their thesis based on an assignment from a company on one of the Brightlands campuses.
Since the scholarship was established, the number of applications has grown from 63 in the first year to 142 in the current academic year. Several scholarship recipients have secured jobs or PhD positions at Brightlands companies, aligning with the programme’s goal to retain talent in the region.
Support from Maastricht University
Aside from providing academic and research opportunities, UM offers all scholarship students a Dutch language course to support their integration into the local community. This Social Dutch course is available to all first-year students. In addition, the UM Scholarship Office closely monitors the students’ progress, ensuring both their academic performance and well-being are supported. Scholarship recipients are also encouraged to act as ambassadors for the programme, sharing their experiences with prospective students at their home institutions.
The UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship fosters collaboration between Maastricht University, its students and Brightlands, contributing to the growth of innovation in Limburg while creating opportunities for talented students from around the world.
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