On Friday 1st September 2023 a diverse group of Master’s students from 30 countries received their degree during a graduation ceremony in the Queen Maxima Hall at KIT Royal Tropical Institute. 

The joint graduation ceremony of the Master in International Health and Master of Public Health was attended by friends and family of the graduating students and various supporters that included KIT education staff. For the students, this was a moment of celebrating a year of hard work and togetherness.

Excitement for the Future

Lakshmi Krishnan and Craig Dube, graduate students spoke on behalf of all graduating students.

Lakshmi: “I dare say life is not the same, we are not the same. It feels surreal! We came with dreams in our eyes and hope and excitement in our hearts. Today we are richer with knowledge and experiences, but more importantly, we are humbled. Humbled, for we know the depth and breadth of knowledge is far and vast, and the way it can impact lives is beyond imagination!”

Craig Dube: “As a cohort, we deeply appreciate the professionalism and commitment to service that our facilitators here present. May the kindness, tolerance, and empathy we showed each other be extended to the people we love, to the voices we represent, and to the callings we serve.” 

Call from CEO

In his address at the ceremony KIT CEO Henri van Eeghen said “Education is central to what we do. Not only do we have a great department offering master’s and many other courses, but we also often offer training services in many countries. This will remain a cornerstone of the history and future of this organisation. It is my dream that our education offering will increase and double in size over the coming years.”

Master Programmes

KIT offers the Master’s in International Health (MIH) and Master’s in Public Health (MPH) in cooperation with the VU Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. Our graduates come from 30 different countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. The majority of the students came from low-income countries and received a scholarship from Nuffic, Orange Knowledge Programme.

Other students received scholarships and financial support from KIT Scholarship Fund, employers and other funding organisations.