From Africa and across Asia, students follow the belt and road map to an education at Chinese universities
- With generous scholarships and living expenses funded by Beijing, overseas scholars are making most of China’s largesse
- Many students also lured by brighter career prospects and chance to gain valuable insight into how Chinese businesses work
When Kenyan university graduate Santana Muthoni decided to pursue a master’s degree, she had her eyes on far horizons.
Muthoni, 24, accepted a scholarship to study China-Africa relations at Beijing’s elite Peking University.
The experience gave her a first-hand – although sometimes very unpleasant – experience of China, a country playing a growing role in the continent and the rest of the world as Beijing extends its economic and strategic reach.
“I ended up learning lots on China’s economy, politics, foreign policymaking and society that has allowed me to have a balanced and more informed view on China,” she said.
Muthoni finished her master’s last year and has since moved back to Kenya, launching into a career in China-Africa relations and consulting for the numerous Chinese and African companies based in Nairobi.
“Companies and individuals are on the lookout for people to help them figure out China and how to do business,” she said.