The flow of students between South Africa and China is set to increase following a high-level meeting between Education Minister Naledi Pandor and her Chinese counterpart in Beijing a few weeks ago.
An offshoot of the tighter bilateral cooperation between the two countries will be a R180million injection from China into modernising three further education and training (FET) colleges. This sector comprises 50 public colleges offering technical training. Pandor plans to grow student numbers at FET colleges to a million in the next few years and raise the status of these colleges in the eyes of students, making them a desirable option rather than being seen as a last resort.
South Africa and China agreed in 2004 that China would offer five scholarships to South African students to study in China on a biannual basis. So far three cohorts — in 2003, 2005 and this year — have been sent to China. The agreement also includes support for the Centre for Chinese Studies at the University of Stellenbosch.
Ministerial spokesperson Lunga Ngqengelele said the 2004 agreement was renewed during the recent third binational commission meeting. The two countries agreed that China would increase its scholarships from five every two years to three every year; South Africa gains an extra scholarship a year.
In addition China offered 10 extra scholarships over and above those in the bilateral agreement for South African students to study in China. The ministers also discussed the promotion of staff exchanges and inter-university research.
Fazela Haniff, president of the International Education Association of South Africa, said the student exchanges are “a positive move” and will bring about cultural diversity on campuses. Universities will, however, have to ensure that there are structures in place to support incoming and outgoing students.