What country?
Angola
Who for?
Young people aged 18 to 26 (from high school level to Bachelor’s or Master’s degree level)
What actions?
In 2008, the Eiffel program was launched in Angola by the Angolan Ministry of Education, TotalEnergies, the Embassy of France in Angola and French secular association Mission Laïque Française. It offers young people from Angola the opportunity to receive free education from four prestigious public science high schools.
As an extension of this initiative, since 2012 TotalEnergies E&P Angola has been granting scholarships to four high school graduates every year, who are selected through a competitive process, to continue their studies in France, up to Master’s degree level. In 2018, TotalEnergies signed an agreement with the Angolan national concessionaire, ANPG, exceptionally allowing 50 additional students to benefit from this scholarship. The scholarships were awarded in 2019 at an official ceremony at TotalEnergies Angola headquarters, attended by the First Lady of Angola, Dr. Ana Dias Lourenço, who is the patron of the scholarship recipients.
This program is being carried out in partnership with TotalEnergies, which is providing funding and support for the students in France, the French Embassy, which is assisting with visas and social security coverage, and Campus France, which is helping with enrollment and accommodation.
The young people are enrolled in IUT technology colleges where they study science subjects such as mechanical or electrical engineering or chemistry. In addition, they receive support to help them integrate in France and succeed in their future careers. In 2020, TotalEnergies also offered students webinars on resume writing and finding internships. “This opportunity has opened a lot of doors for me and allowed me to grow both professionally and personally,” says Rogério Paulo Gastão, 19, an electrical engineering student at the Henri Poincaré IUT in Longwy. His goal is to make the most of this cultural and linguistic experience, and then apply the expertise he has gained back in Angola.
What impacts?
Since 2012, 84 young people have received the scholarship. 15 students have graduated and 5 have found work in Angola.