In China: Thousands of students see their dreams come true

Students get the chance to pursue affordable international education experience

ISLAMABAD: Rabbiya Saba, a student, from Punjab, has started studying medicine in China's Sichuan province.

Once quivering at the thought of learning a strange language, the 19-year-old said she has adjusted to life in China much quicker than expected, mainly due to the hospitality of the Chinese people.

"I do not feel China is a foreign country," Saba said, adding that she has received great respect there.

"We have a separate class of 50 students in the university here. Most of our teachers are also Pakistanis so there is no language or cultural barrier here. We feel very comfortable in our classes and dormitories," Saba told Xinhua from Sichuan through the Chinese social media network WeChat.

Saba said many of her friends who went to high school with her in Pakistan are also pursuing medical degrees from various universities in China.

Apart from Saba and her friends, there are 22,000 Pakistani students currently pursuing their education in various disciplines in China. In 2017 alone, about 2,500 new Pakistani students were enrolled in China, according to recent statistics released by the Pakistani embassy in China.

"Initially I felt homesick and missed Pakistan very much. But gradually I realised that the Chinese are very nice people. They try to talk to you in sign language and try to help you feel at home in their country. I hope to learn their good qualities and practice them in Pakistan when I return home after completing my studies," Saba said.

The consultants who send students to China said there are three major sets of students who visit China including medical students, engineering students and the students who visit to study the Chinese language. They said the trend of Pakistani students choosing China for their academic pursuits is increasing due to multiple reasons.

Amjad Iqbal, managing director of EBC Worldwide, a consultancy firm that sends students from Pakistan, India and African countries to China, told Xinhua that they started sending students to China from 2007.

"At that time many Chinese universities wanted to welcome Pakistani students, but the students here were not quite interested in flying to China in the pursuit of higher education. But things have drastically changed over the past four to five years. Now many students want to study in China, but the firm does not have enough seats to accommodate them despite securing an increased quota for international students by the Chinese institutes."

Iqbal, who himself is a graduate in western medicine from the Xi'an Medical University in China, said that Pakistani medical students seeking admission in Chinese universities consisted the largest chunk of student applicants, followed by engineering cadres and those who visit China to learn Chinese languages.

He said the tuition fee of medical colleges in Pakistan is two to three times higher than that of China, which is the main reason China is the favourite destination for aspiring medical candidates from Pakistan.

"A candidate can get a medical degree from China in less than $30,000, including dormitory charges whereas in Pakistan the tuition fee alone costs students over $80,000," the consultant said.

"It will not be wrong to say that medicine is the most favoured profession among Pakistanis. Every year hundreds of thousands of students apply for admission in state-owned medical colleges, which provide good quality education at affordable rates, but many fail to get through because of tough competition as the number of such medical colleges in the country is very limited," Iqbal said.

"China is our brotherly country so parents of the students do not hesitate in sending them there. They feel safe allowing their children, who are mostly in their teenage years, to fly to China in the pursuit of their dreams," he told Xinhua.

He said that his company had sent around 3,000 medical students to China in the past decade, and there are tens of other dealers in the country, sending more such students.

Iqbal said China is easily accessible for Pakistani students as its visa policies are not as tough for Pakistanis.

"China borders Pakistan, so psychologically people feel safe in sending their children there because of its geographical closeness to our country," he said.

After the launch of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said the number of engineering students seeking a PhD or masters degree has increased manifold, some supported fully or partially by scholarships from both Pakistani and Chinese governments.

According to latest figures from the Pakistani embassy in Beijing, currently, 2,700 Pakistani students are pursuing masters and doctorate degrees in top Chinese universities on fully-funded scholarships sponsored by the Chinese government.

Kalsoom Sumra, a doctorate degree holder in policy sciences from China, is working as an associate professor in Pakistan's top-ranked university COMSATS University of Information Technology in Islamabad.

Sumra, who returned to Pakistan in 2017 after studying on a scholarship, offered by the Chinese government, told Xinhua that as a Muslim woman she did not feel any kind of "awkwardness" or discomfort due to cultural differences.

"Chinese are very polite and soft people, and they always show respect to other cultures. They have respect even for your food, for your dress as well as your customs. They are not biased when compared to Europeans, several girls here wear veils and the Chinese community has no problem with it. They accept every kind of culture," Sumra told Xinhua in an interview in her office overlooking the scenic Margalla hills of Islamabad.

"China is opening up for the other countries too, but it is mostly focused on welcoming Pakistan and this educational exchange will further bring the countries closer together, as after the launch of CPEC it became more important for both countries to have a clearer understanding of each other's cultures. And Pakistanis who graduated from Chinese universities will act as a bridge to connect both countries," she said.

Officials from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) said they provide merit-based doctorate scholarships annually to brilliant students enrolling in any of the top five Chinese universities.

"Students show great interest in studying in China as Chinese universities are among the best universities in the world. So students from different faculties including science and technology and arts chose China for pursuing their degrees," one official said.

Another official said they are sending 50 students from Gwadar to Chinese universities so that they can learn the Chinese language.

"They will study in China for a year, and will get involved in CPEC projects upon their return to Pakistan. The government is sponsoring these 50 candidates to facilitate Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects in Gwadar as they will not only learn the Chinese language but will also have a clear understanding of Chinese culture. And this move will also help locals find employment in projects which are going on in their area."

Education consultant Abid Raheem in Islamabad said if Chinese universities hire more English speaking staff to facilitate international students, the number of students applying will further increase. XINHUA

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2018.