Maldives and Japan have signed a new grant agreement worth approximately USD 1.02 million to continue postgraduate scholarship opportunities for Maldivian students under the Japanese Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS).

The Exchange of Notes agreement was signed on Wednesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheryna Abdul Samad and Japanese Ambassador to the Maldives Ishigami Rumiko.

The funding will support the continuation of the JDS program, which enables Maldivian professionals to pursue master’s degree studies at leading universities in Japan.

The initiative was launched in 2020 with the aim of strengthening human resource capacity and developing skilled professionals who can contribute to the Maldives’ long-term social and economic progress.

Since the start of the program, 17 Maldivian students have successfully completed their studies through the scholarship, while nine additional students are currently pursuing postgraduate education in Japan.

The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials from several Maldivian government institutions, including the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development, the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, and the Civil Service Commission.

Representatives from the Japanese Embassy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also participated in the event.

Japan has been a long-standing development partner of the Maldives, supporting initiatives in areas such as education, infrastructure, disaster resilience, and institutional capacity building.

The continuation of the JDS scholarship program highlights the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in developing skilled human resources and expanding educational opportunities for Maldivians.