Minister of Dhivehi Language, Culture and Heritage Adam Naseer Ibrahim has announced that recipients of heritage related scholarships will begin their studies in January.

Speaking at a press conference held at the President’s Office on Saturday, Minister Adam Naseer said 50 scholarships have been awarded for postgraduate studies in heritage related fields, as part of the Government’s efforts to strengthen and develop the sector.

He said all the scholarships are for master’s level programmes, with courses scheduled to commence in January at the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM).

The scholarships are awarded under the Signature Research Scholarship programme, which is sponsored by the National Institute for Maldivian Heritage Research. The two year programme requires scholars to conduct academic research at the Institute at least twice a month.

The initiative aims to strengthen academic work in heritage studies, expand national research capacity, and nurture a new generation of heritage scholars. Graduates of the programme will also be provided opportunities to publish their research findings.