To ensure a smooth process in the work on sending graduate students abroad under the grant of China Scholarship Council (CSC), the graduate school held a concluding meeting the work on China Scholarship Council for graduate program and a farewell meeting on the morning of June 17th. The meeting was held in the lecture hall 220 in Song’en building. This is the first time that Xiamen University holds such a farewell meeting. There were 130 students who are qualified for the program attended the meeting, and they are joined by the executive dean of graduate school Tao Tao, deputy director of the International Office Zhang Shengqiang, deputy director of the academic affairs office of the graduate school Xue Chenglong, deputy director of the general affairs office of the graduate school Luo Chunxia. The meeting was presided by Tao Tao.
First, Tao Tao offered his congratulations to the students who have got the opportunity to study in high-level foreign universities. He said that Xiamen University is committed to improve the level of internationalization in graduate education. This year, the theme of the 95th anniversary of Xiamen University is “Xiamen University Going Global”. Sending graduate students to study abroad under the CSC grant is one of the important approaches to go global and build a first-class international university.
Next, he reviewed and summarized the basic situation of the program in the past few years. He said that since 2007, the total admission that the students in Xiamen University have get have increased for five consecutive years. This year, there are 133 students in Xiamen University who get the funding from the CSC graduate program, which is the highest number in the history of Xiamen University. He also stressed that, while maintaining the steady growth of the number of application, the school will focus more on the competitiveness of the application and admission rate of the graduate students. In the end, he shared his own experience of studying abroad with the students and told the students that he hope they can appreciate this precious opportunity to improve their research and study ability and broaden their horizon to an international level.
Zhang Jiawei, who has just returned from a joint-training program in Georgia Institute of Technology shared his overseas studying experience with the audience. He said that the studying environment in a foreign country is relatively quiet which requires students to be able to stand the loneliness and bear in mind their original goal in the course of improving themselves while approaching to the goal. Liu Yang, who is going to go abroad to study for her PhD degree in Queensland University of Technology, also shared her experience with the students. She said that it is precisely the agreement signed between Xiamen University and Queensland University of Technology that provided her strong support for her application. She also expressed her hope that all the students who are going to study abroad can stay humble and hopeful and complete their study and research successfully.
Zhang Shengqiang, deputy director of the International Office, also said that as an important department related to the service of CSC program, the International Office is willing and ready to offer help to students in procedures like applying a passport, etc. He also reminded the students to increase their safety awareness while studying abroad. He hoped they can stay safe and healthy and come back earlier with degree.
Sending graduate students to study abroad under the CSC grant is an important measure in implementing the strategy of internationalize the graduate education in Xiamen University. In the last few years, the Graduate School have taken a series of measures to promote overseas study and visiting and engagement in academic exchange. In 2016, Xiamen University have recommended 183 students to apply for the CSC program. By now, there are 133 students get admitted. This year the number of application and admission are both the highest compared to the last few years. The number of admission increased by 13% compared to 2015, in which the number of degree-seeking students is 50, an increase of 32% compared to last year. The students are admitted to a lot of world first-class University including Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Australian National University, McGill University, University of Oxford, National University of Singapore, University of Pennsylvania, etc.
