Engineersinthemaking

Chinese companies and universities cooperate to train African youth

FOR Martine Dieng Awa and Seydou Ka Thierno, two 18-year-old classmates from Kolda Town in south Senegal, the prospect of studying abroad after high school seemed an unimaginable and almost impossible dream. Little did they know that they would end up a few months later being classmates again, but this time in faraway China.

In the middle of 2016, with graduation approaching, Awa saw an online advertisement by Senegal’s Ministry of Higher Education and Research: the Chinese stateowned company China Road and Bridge Corp. (CRBC) was providing 15 scholarships to help Senegalese students go to China, and train them in bridge and road engineering for five years at Chang’an University in China’s Shaanxi Province.

For students who had just graduated from high school, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Awa and Thierno did not hesitate a second and submitted their applications.

To their joy, the two classmates were accepted and ended up in the same class at Chang’an University. “This is my first time in China. I am extremely happy,” Awa told Chinafrica, with a delighted smile. As she puts it, she will never forget the joy upon receiving the acceptance letter. “I was so nervous while waiting for the result. Finally, I felt relieved!”

She and her classmate Thierno spent the days anxiously waiting for their departure for China and looking forward to continuing being classmates abroad. On November 16, Awa and Thierno, together with 13 other Senegalese students, arrived in Shaanxi’s capital Xi’an, an ancient cultural city dating back more than 3,000 years.

This opportunity was made possible by the Senegal branch of CRBC, which signed an agreement with the Senegalese Government on July 14, 2016, to help train Senegalese students in China. CRBC also entered in partnership with Chang’an University, known for its strong engineering education program. According to the agreement, the Senegalese students’ tuition, transportation, catering and accommodation fees during their time at Chang’an University will be fully covered by CRBC.

A selection committee was set up with representatives of Senegal’s Ministry of Higher Education and Research, Ministry of Infrastructure and Land Transport and CRBC. The selection process was rigorous, and only young high school graduates having passed their graduation exam with a “fairly good” mark were selected. “It is hoped that this good example of CRBC will be emulated by other companies established in Senegal,” Mary Teuw Niane, Minister of Higher Education and Research of Senegal, told Chinafrica.