By Staff Writer
“Youth gives rise to infinite hope, and young people are the creators of a bright future.”
These are China’s President Xi Jinping inspirational words, heard by 20 Samoan students taking up studies under the ‘Chinese Ambassador Scholarship’ Awards at the National University of Samoa
China’s Ambassador to Samoa, HE Chao Xiaoliang, quoted his country’s leader, at the official presentation of awards at the NUS Le Papaigalagala Campus last Friday night.
“All the students here are the future of Samoa, with your dedication and hard works, you will be the pioneers to shoulder the important mission of realizing national development and prosperity,” Ambassador Xiaoliang encouraged.
Three of the award recipients are taking up studies for Master’s degree and the rest are for Bachelor degrees in mainly Education and Business studies.
This second group of 20 scholarship recipients brings the total count to 40 of awards granted this year under the ‘Chinese Ambassador Scholarship’ for studies at the NUS.
The first group were presented last June with scholarship study awards starting from the first semester.
All added, 61 Samoan students are studying under Chinese assistance including 21 who are under Government scholarship in China starting this year.
“For 2023/2024, we will offer 26 Government scholarships to Samoa,” Ambassador Xiaoliang assured.
The NUS Vice Chancellor, Professor Aiono Alec Ekeroma, welcomed the assurances from the Chinese ambassador with gratitude for the ongoing support for students’ education at the national university.
“Forty percent of students at the NUS are studying under scholarship grants, including those funded under China’s assistance,” Vice-Chancellor Professor Ekeroma responded on Friday night.
The NUS Confucius Institute has also recorded more than 600 graduates of Chinese studies at the university campus.
China has offered scholarships for studies to Samoan students since 1982.