Coming from abroad for new perspective

As a key part of Yunnan University, the School of International Studies has hundreds of foreign students researching regional affairs from the perspective of their own countries.

More than 30 students from Southeast Asian countries are pursuing better life opportunities by studying at the university. The students receive scholarships from the Chinese government that provide accommodation, tuition fees and 1,700 yuan ($283) each month in living expenses.

Juliet, a 25-year-old graduate student from Myanmar at the International Studies School, expects to graduate next summer. Born in a small town that is a six-hours drive from Mandalay, a major city in Myanmar, Juliet arrived at Yunnan University three years ago to pursue her goal of learning the Chinese language and obtaining a master’s degree.

Myanmar students have to study Burmese and English, which are both used as official languages in her country. Juliet also learned Mandarin as a child in her hometown, which is also about a six-hours drive from the border with the Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture in southwestern Yunnan.

Currently, 10 students from Myanmar are pursuing degrees at the university, in international relations or trade, Juliet said. The students study an overview of China and Southeast Asia. During the classes, teachers encourage Southeast Asian students to state their views on topics, especially when they are about bilateral relations between China and their mother countries.

Professor Li Chenyang, Juliet’s tutor, visits Myanmar almost once a month, so he has a clear picture of what is happening in the neighboring country. Juliet discusses current affairs with her teacher based on her own experience.

Juliet is writing her thesis on trade across the Sino- Myanmar border following a visit to Ruili, a city in Dehong that neighbors Myanmar.

“I took an overnight bus to the city and talked to many traders in downtown Ruili and the exit and entry points of Jiegao,” Juliet said. “From my point of view, the biggest obstacle is the poor transportation infrastructure in Myanmar and some parts of the prefecture.”

Juliet’s classmate Seng New, 26, a native from Kachin state in northern Myanmar, just started her first year as a graduate student at the school. She said she has not yet adapted to the colder weather in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan. However, she is determined to get her degree in the next three years.

The students said they would be more competitive in finding jobs back in Myanmar after they master the Chinese language, and their experience of studying in Kunming will boost their employment prospects. “I will contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, and it will be a good job if I am recruited, thanks to my education at Yunnan University,” Juliet said.