Between 11 and 18 November 2021, the Mozambique Conservation Leadership Programme (PLCM) held sessions to present opportunities for pre-professional internships, research subventions and scholarships for 2022.

The sessions took place in the Catholic University of Mozambique, UniLicungo, UniZambeze, the Polytechnic University and the Eduardo Mondlane University, in the cities of Quelimane and Beira, in Zambézia and Sofala provinces, respectively.

350 people, including both students and members of the management of the universities took part in the meetings.

The Vice-Chancellor of the UniLicungo University, Prof. Dr Boaventura Aleixo, announced that the conservation of biodiversity is among the matrix of priorities of the University, and he recognised that the PLCM will make possible the search for scientific solutions for the protection of natural resources through young students, either through professional internships or through scholarships.

The Director of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the Catholic University in Quelimane, Prof. Dr Lino Samuel, challenged the teaching body and the students to dedicate themselves to quality training so that they might benefit from the opportunities offered by the PLCM.

For the young students, the PLCM opportunities are coming at a good time because, as finalists, they need to follow up all the learning they have acquired in the classroom.

“I am very pleased to know that there is an extremely wide horizon of professions for the conservation sector. I have been trained recently in Law and I shall apply for these opportunities that are available” – said Mário Nduna, a student at the Catholic University.

“I am very thrilled to discover that the opportunities of the PLCM are advantageous for us young people, who want to develop our professional careers, with the possibility of demonstrating our talent’’ – stressed Elisabete Madeira, a student from UniLicungo

The PLCM is a unique initiative, which seeks to strengthen the capacity and skills of the professionals of the National System of Conservation Areas (SNAC), and to motivate new professionals to embrace conservation and shape the profile of the future leaders of conservation in Mozambique, implemented by the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND).

For more information about the PLCM, you can access the link.