Students at a leading Bahrain university are vying for the chance to receive a one-year scholarship to learn all about Chinese culture and language thanks to a unique partnership with a local government authority.
The scholarship worth BD35,000, covering the cost of tuition and accommodation, comes as a result of bilateral cooperation between The Capital Governorate in Bahrain and its counterpart in Shenzhen, a modern metropolis that links Hong Kong to China’s mainland.
Shenzhen University, founded in 1983, has undergone rapid growth and expansion in the past three decades just like the city of Shenzhen, China’s most successful Special Economic Zone.
The university has established cooperative relationships with 176 overseas universities and attracts around 1,000 international students every year. Professor Ghassan Aouad, president of ASU, said: “We are absolutely delighted to work with the Capital Governorate to promote education and this scholarship opportunity.”
He also offered his thanks to Sheikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa , governor of the Capital Governorate, for his ‘generosity and continuous support’ of higher education, after heading a delegation from the university to receive the scholarship proposal as part of a Memorandum of Understanding and cooperation between the two.
Shenzhen University offers multilevel degrees within its 27 colleges, providing 86 undergraduate courses, more than 100 master and nine doctoral programmes. The study area ranges from philosophy, literature, economics, management, law, education, sciences and engineering, medicine, liberal art and history.
The scholarship is for 12 months and the candidate must be fluent in English and have an interest in learning Chinese and more about the country’s culture. When the candidate finishes the programme the lucky student will be awarded a certificate.
As well as study, it will provide a fascinating opportunity to witness modern China. Shenzhen is known for its shopping destinations like Luohu Commercial City, a massive mall with a vast array of wares, from tailors’ custom clothing to faux designer bags.
The city also features contemporary buildings, such as the 600m-tall skyscraper Ping, an International Finance Centre, and a number of amusement parks. Although only a third the size of Shanghai, and one eighth that of Beijing, it is banking on research and development to expand its economy.
Shenzhen, in southeastern China, has also become the centre of attention as authorities hold it up as a role model of business transformation and wealth accumulation that defies the economic headwinds that have slowed growth in other parts of the mainland.
Aspirations are growing, fuelling debate over whether Shenzhen’s recent reinvention should be a model for China’s future. ASU has a cosmopolitan demographic, with staff representing 22 nationalities and a student body consisting of 3,000 - 85 per cent of which are Bahraini students and 15 per cent expats.
ASU students interested in applying for the scholarship should send their CV to the Career Development and Alumni Affairs Office at the Deanship of Student Affairs
