Fayat scholarships: Flanders’ international scholarship programme for top students

Students with a Fayat scholarship help put Flanders on the international map. They are part of a network of students from Flanders who are continuing their studies at an international top institution. They are also introduced to Flanders’ diplomatic and wider network around the world.

Students with a Fayat scholarship therefore act as ambassadors for Flanders. Together with Flanders’ diplomats they take part in network events where they can share and enrich their experience, knowledge and individual networks.

In other words, they put Flanders on the map and Flanders puts them on the map.

The Fayat scholarships give talented students the opportunity to continue their studies at top institutions around the world. At the same time they become ambassadors who contribute to strengthening the image of Flanders as an innovative top region. The Fayat programme is aimed specifically at:

• removing financial barriers wherever possible so that talented students can study at international top institutions;
• building an international network of talented students and alumni from Flanders in various disciplines;
• further enhancing the image of Flanders abroad.

Hendrik Fayat (1908-1997) was a pro-Flemish socialist from Brussels who was elected a member of parliament in 1946. He dedicated much of his time to foreign policy; a topic to which he would remain forever committed. In his long political career, he was several times Minister or Secretary of State for Foreign Trade and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs.

He remains known and respected to this day for two laws adopted in 1962 that established the balance between Dutch and French speakers in Belgian diplomacy. In concrete terms, these laws enabled more people from Flanders to advance in Belgian diplomacy. These diplomats from Flanders have left a lasting mark on the diplomatic service.

The Fayat scholarships offer talented students from Flanders the opportunity to continue their studies at top universities and knowledge institutes. At the same time, these students help propagate Flanders’ assets. Such a scholarship deserves to be named after a pioneering politician like Hendrik Fayat. It is not your background that matters, but your talent and plans for the future.