China grants more educational scholarships to The Bahamas
From Bahamaislandsinfo
NASSAU, Bahamas — Thirteen Bahamians, seven of whom are students of The College of The Bahamas and The College’s Confucius Institute, have accepted scholarships to study in the People’s Republic of China during the 2013-2014 academic year.
The latest scholarship recipients, which includes students who will earn Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as well as complete short courses in Mandarin, were formally recognized during a Scholarship Awards Ceremony held in the Harry C. Library and Information Centre at The College of The Bahamas on Monday, August 19th.
The Chinese government as well as its global network of Confucius classrooms and institutes, provide opportunities for citizens of other countries to learn the language, customs and culture of China and also pursue post-secondary degrees there.
Chinese Ambassador His Excellency Hu Shan spoke with confidence about the deepening bilateral relations between The Bahamas and China, evidenced in part through the growing number of Bahamian citizens who continue to complete educational programmes in China.
“This year, the Chinese government has granted eight full scholarships to eight recipients besides the headquarters of the Confucius Institute which has also offered seven Mandarin Chinese scholarships to seven students at The College of The Bahamas. Apart from the scholarships, the Chinese Government also offers short–term training programmes for professionals for various industries of The Bahamas. Last year, there were 32 Bahamian professionals who went to China for those training programmes or seminars,” said Ambassador Hu, through an interpreter.
The numbers continue to grow: this year, the Chinese Embassy has also processed eight separate visas for persons who are personally funding their studies in China. Additionally, the Chinese government has committed to educating approximately 100 students at the Master’s degree level in China and providing 1,000 full scholarships for Caribbean nationals.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports that China is leading the world out of the global recession and has a key role to play in the long-term reform and rebalancing of the global economy. There is a solid history of over 15 years of friendship between The Bahamas and China represented not only in diplomatic relations, but also through technical cooperation and cultural exchanges.
Pleased about the new scholarships from China, Bahamas Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Hon. Fred Mitchell lauded the group for its pioneering achievement.
“These persons are trailblazers choosing, as they have, a path less followed but one that nonetheless demands recognition and praise as they venture into a land and language vastly different than the one in which they grew up,” he said. “This year we are pleased that we have joined with The College of The Bahamas and the Confucius Institute to recognize persons who have received not only Chinese government scholarships but also Confucius Institute scholarships. This is a testament to the strengthening of diplomatic relations between The Bahamas and China.”
Launched in October 2012, The Confucius Institute at The College of The Bahamas and its forerunner, the Confucius Classroom, have provided instruction in the Chinese language for approximately 100 students. In addition to students at The College of The Bahamas, the Institute’s alumni base includes mothers and fathers; hospitality, healthcare and financial services professionals; others in the public and private sectors and high school students.
“We are very happy that we will be able to offer in addition to our languages courses, courses that relate to the culture of China, the history, geography and society of China as well as courses such as traditional Chinese medicine,” said Haldane Chase, Director of the Confucius Institute, who thanked the Chinese Government for its scholarships.
With the increasing appetite for Chinese language and scholarships to study in China, college administrators expect even more robust enrollment at the Institute.
The students who have been granted scholarships to study in China are: Alistair Stevenson, Zahnae Brown, Adriana Carroll, Janice Taylor, Siddina Henfield, Maxine Forbes, Kuran Hanna. Courtney Miller, Marissa Russell, Dereka Hanna, Deandra Knowles, Sasha Farah and Dwayne Pearce.
Photo 1: From left are His Excellency Hu Shan, the Chinese Ambassador; Kuran Hanna, scholarship recipient; Dr. Betsy Vogel-Boze, President, The College of The Bahamas and Dr. Earla Carey Baines, Executive Director, Academic Affairs, The College of The Bahamas.
Photo 2: Among the persons in attendance at the scholarship presentation ceremony held in the Harry C. Moore Library and Information Centre were representatives of The College of The Bahamas.
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