Nearly 400 students have benefited from the €6,240,000 invested in the Steps scholarship scheme.

Data issued by the Directorate for Lifelong Learning show that so far, 394 people have found financial support for their postgraduate studies through the Steps scheme launched in 2009.

The scheme offers bursaries to address areas of national priority as identified within the Operational Programme II: Empowering People for more Jobs and a Better Quality of Life, for the implementation of Cohesion Policy in Malta for the period 2007-2013. It is co-funded by the European Social Fund.

The Steps scheme aims at promoting specialisation at higher levels of education by enabling shortages of expertise in the country’s economy and enhancing research.

With five calls for application so far, the scheme provides scholarships which address four focus areas: capacity building in the education system, research and innovation in science and technology, information and communication technology, and skills mismatches.

In 2009, 178 scholarships were granted, out of which 36 were at a doctoral level. The total number rose to 216 for the third and fourth call, where 37 applicants furthered their studies at a doctoral level.

The fifth call for applicants closed on January 17.