AT LEAST 31 scholars will be able to study abroad through the support of the Department of Science and Technology.

“The DOST is preparing to send 31 MS and PhD scholars abroad as part of its Human Resource Capability Building in emerging and critical areas of science and technology this school year,” DOST Secretary Fortunato De La Peña said.

“These areas are either not being offered yet in any higher education institution in the country due to lack of qualified personnel to handle the program or population of experts due to brain drain, retirement, ageing population and other reasons identified as having diminished,” he added.

The DOST offered more than 2,000 scholarship grants to Filipinos who want to pursue post graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

There are over 1,600 slots for Master of Science and more than 760 slots for Doctor of Philosophy scholarships.

De La Peña said that 218 MS and PhD scholars are studying in 25 countries under the department’s Foreign Graduate Scholarship programs.