NANJING - Some 10 Sudanese students financed by China Harbor Engineering Co Ltd (CHEC), a well-known international contractor, were awarded Master's degrees by Nanjing-based Hohai University at a graduation ceremony last Wednesday.
Chairman of CHEC Sun Ziyu (2nd L), Sudanese Ambassador to China Mirghani Mohammed Salih (1st R) and President of Hohai University Wang Cheng (3rd R) congratulate Sudanese students. [XU LIAN / FOR CHINA DAILY ]
After two years' study at Hohai University, the students are now qualified to get Master's degrees and four of them won scholarships due to their hard work.
They are the first graduate students financed by CHEC's "Education Fund", which was established in 2008 to help students from developing countries to study in China.
The students, selected by Sudan's higher education authorities, majored in hydrology and water resources at Hohai University. They used to be teachers in their country before coming to China.
All the expenses during the two-year study period in Hohai, totaling over 1.6 million yuan, were paid by CHEC, including tuition, living costs, transport, medical care and travel expenditure.
The idea of providing financial support to Sudanese students to study in Chinese universities came from Chairman and President of CHEC Sun Ziyu, after his visit to Sudan at the beginning of 2008.
Sun discussed the thought with the Chinese ambassador to Sudan first. The idea was warmly welcomed and considered by the ambassador as a way to "open a new field in cooperation between Chinese enterprises and foreign governments".
As one of the first of a batch of companies to settle in Sudan, CHEC established its office in 1985 and has participated in a number of port, road and bridge projects, which have contributed to the development of the local economy.
Alongside business expansion and improvement, CHEC also maintains a sense of social responsibility. Donations, financial support and contribution to public welfare schemes are as important to CHEC as its commercial activities.
Sudanese students present CHEC with a silk banner and handicraft works to thank them for their sponsorship. [XU LIAN / FOR CHINA DAILY]
Sun said: "To finance Sudanese students studying in China is one way in which CHEC can fulfill its social responsibility." He said other similar projects to finance students from developing countries to study at Chinese universities are in progress. Pakistan is one of the countries that will send students to China soon.
Sun hopes that CHEC will continue to be involved in public welfare and strengthen cooperation with local governments and relevant authorities.
At the graduation ceremony, President of Hohai University Wang Cheng spoke highly of the Sudanese students' progress. Wang thought CHEC had set a good example among overseas Chinese enterprises in terms of fulfilling social responsibility and implementing a "going out" strategy, which will help further strengthen friendship between Sudan and China.
The Sudan ambassador said that: "Chinese companies have played a very important role in promoting bilateral relations. CHEC is one of the Chinese companies that entered Sudan very early in the 1980s and has contributed in building infrastructure including roads and bridges."
The ambassador said that these graduate students will be a backbone to boost Sudan's economic growth and expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government and people, especially CHEC and Hohai University.
John Ladu, one of the 10, on behalf of Sudanese students, expressed thanks to the top management of CHEC and presented flowers and souvenirs to their professors from Hohai.
Some of the students said they would like to come back to China again or work for Chinese companies including CHEC. There will be a few of Sudanese students joining the CHEC group and working for the company's Sudan office, according to CHEC.
"Hohai University is already preparing to welcome the next 10 students," Ren Liliang, director of Hohai's International Office, said.
