Benghazi – If you ask Libyan students passionate about science about their future goals, most will say studying abroad. This does not diminish their country’s scientific capabilities. Rather, it reflects their desire for further knowledge. They seek to discover a global perspective. This opens broad scientific and professional horizons for them.
However, for over a decade, this goal remained an elusive dream. Successive governments froze decisions regarding overseas study scholarships. Higher education officials argued that budget constraints prevented implementation. Yet, documents consistently leaked. These revealed scholarship decisions for individuals whose selection criteria were unknown. They were not top students, teaching assistants, or faculty members, as stipulated by law. These decisions appeared to be favors for those with influence.
Fortunately, all of this changed before 2025. Last year, on May 29, 2025, General Commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar made an announcement. This took place in Benghazi. The city is now a symbol of reconstruction and development. He announced a scholarship decision for top students from Benghazi University. This covered academic years from 2017 to 2024. The announcement occurred at a grand honoring ceremony. The Libya Reconstruction and Development Fund organized the event. It celebrated the achievements of Benghazi’s top students. This included all fields, both applied and humanitarian sciences.
Today, less than six months after that ceremony and the scholarship announcement, top students from Benghazi University have begun enrolling. They are attending universities in the UK and Egypt. Enrollment in Malaysia will follow soon. They are pursuing their postgraduate studies.
For six months, the International Cooperation Department of the Libya Reconstruction and Development Fund worked diligently. They acted under the directives of the Fund’s Director, Engineer Belgasem Haftar. Their work on this file was as serious, resolute, and precise as their work on other reconstruction projects. They launched a special online platform for students. Students uploaded required documents there. All their procedures were facilitated. Then, students were allocated to specific study destinations. They were assigned to universities. Academic applications and necessary equivalencies were processed. Finally, flights to their scholarship destinations were arranged. All student procedures are closely monitored, even after arrival in the study country.
Thus, studying abroad has transformed from a dream marred by administrative and financial corruption into a tangible reality. Top students from Benghazi University are now experiencing this reality. They bear the greatest responsibility today. They are considered Libya’s ambassadors. Libya awaits their return. They are expected to bring back their acquired experiences and knowledge.