The China Scholarship Council (CSC; Chinese: 国家留学基金委员会; pinyin: Guójiā Liúxué Jījīn Wěiyuánhuì) is China's Ministry of Education body that provides support for international academic exchanges with the country and is the primary vehicle through which the Chinese government awards scholarships.[1] CSC provides both funding for Chinese citizens and residents to study abroad, and for foreign students and scholars to study in China.[2] The agency predominantly provides scholarships to individuals, including in batches allocated to specific foreign universities.[3][4]
| Formation | 1996 |
|---|---|
Parent organization | Ministry of Education |
| Website | www |
Overview
editThe CSC funds a number of Chinese students studying abroad every year, and the same number of international students in China.[1] CSC also manages the National Construction High-Level University Postgraduate Program scholarship, which funds a number of graduate students each year. Moreover, the CSC's elite-track funding mechanism for foreign exchange is the International Cooperative Program for Innovative Talents (ICPIT) program, which funds hundreds of special training programs arising from collaborations between top Chinese and international institutions.[5][6]
Among its most well-known scholarship programs, the CSC manages the Chinese government award for outstanding self-financed students abroad, which funds about 650 students each year (500 before 2021),[7] these scholarships are designed to encourage Chinese students to return home after completing their studies.[1]
History
editThe State Council of the People's Republic of China first proposed the CSC in 1994, before its establishment in 1996.[8] Due to the mid-1990s emphasis on urbanization of China, the CSC offered full support for urban economics doctoral students studying overseas.[9]
In August 2020, the University of North Texas terminated its relationship with the China Scholarship Council.[10]
Loyalty pledges
editIn October 2020, a United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission report noted that certain CSC scholarships require that recipients "support the leadership of the Communist Party and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; love the motherland; have a sense of responsibility to serve the country, society, and the people; and to have a correct world view, outlook on life, and values system."[11][12]
In January 2023, Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported that Chinese students studying in Sweden and funded by CSC had been required to sign loyalty pledges to the Chinese Communist Party and name guarantors to repay scholarships if the pledges are violated.[13][14] Radio Free Asia subsequently reported that this practice had been happening for at least a decade and involved tens of thousands of Chinese students studying abroad.[14]
In November 2023, The Daily Telegraph was reported that CSC scholarship recipients were required to receive Chinese Communist Party "ideological training" before entering the United Kingdom.[15]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Fedasiuk, Ryan (July 2020). "The China Scholarship Council: An Overview". Center for Security and Emerging Technology. doi:10.51593/20200042. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
- ^ Yan, Li (7 Jun 2018). "Bigger Chinese scholarships attract foreign students to boost soft power". China News Service. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 3 Jan 2018.
- ^ Ebsworth-Goold, Erika (27 Oct 2018). "Washington University strengthens international ties". The Source Washington University in St. Louis. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 3 Jan 2018.
- ^ "Chinese Government Scholarships Earlier Scheme". SICAS Scholarships:www.sicas.cn/. Archived from the original on 2020-09-24. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
- ^ Chinese Ministry of Education (5 Jul 2018). "Proposals for 2019 International Cooperation Training Programs for Innovative Talents (关于做好2019年创新型人才国际合作培养项目申报工作的通知)" (PDF). Chinese Scholarship Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 21 Dec 2018.
- ^ "XMU's talent project approved by China Scholarship Council". Xiamen University. 20 Jan 2018. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 12 Dec 2018.
- ^ Bo, Xiang (2 Apr 2018). "Outstanding Chinese students honored with government award". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 3 Jan 2018.
- ^ Sun, Xiaobing (2022-09-08). 70 Years of Opening-up in China's Education. Springer Nature. p. 130. doi:10.1007/978-981-19-3521-3. ISBN 978-981-19-3521-3. S2CID 252174924.
- ^ Hou, Li (2021). Building for Oil: Daqing and the Formation of the Chinese Socialist State. Harvard-Yenching Institute monograph series. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Asia Center. pp. xviii. ISBN 978-0-674-26022-1.
- ^ Zheng, Sarah (2020-09-01). "Trump planning more curbs on Chinese students, says Pompeo". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
- ^ "2020年国家留学基金资助出国留学人员选派简章 -欢迎访问国家留学网！". China Scholarship Council (in Chinese). 2020-08-06. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
- ^ Bowe, Alexander; Lloyd-Damnjanovic, Anastasya (October 7, 2020). "Overseas Chinese Students and Scholars in China's Drive for Innovation" (PDF). United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ "Kinas hemliga avtal med studenter i Sverige – kräver lojalitet med regimen". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 2023-01-12. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
- ^ a b "Tens of thousands of students pledge loyalty to Beijing before arriving abroad". Radio Free Asia. 20 January 2023. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- ^ Clarence-Smith, Louisa (2023-11-10). "Chinese Phd students at top universities given 'ideological training' before entering UK". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 2023-11-11. Retrieved 2023-11-12.