-Central South University Management Guarantees Protection of Foreign Students Against COVID-19
By Waziri Isa Adam
Barely a year after the Chinese Government awarded full scholarship to 45 Students of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, another set of 45 students have been offered full scholarship scheme through the Central South University for a joint “3+2” academic programme between the two Universities.
The offer is in recognition of the academic and moral achievements of ABU Students currently pursuing the “3+2” programme in the Central South University.
A letter from the Central South University, signed by the Vice Dean, Traffic and Transportation School, Yinggui Zhang, sent to the Management of Ahmadu Bello University through the Institution’s Director of University Advancement, Professor MK Aliyu, said the scholarship will further consolidate the joint programme
“The Central South University (CSU) Council is highly impressed by the academic and moral achievements of ABU students who are currently undergoing the “3+2” programme in CSU”, the letter read
“In the light of this, the Council decided to offer full scholarship to another set of 45 students of ABU to further consolidate the “3+2” joint programme with similar guidelines this year – 2020”, the letter added.
“This implies a total of 45 students would be recruited from ABU with full scholarship this June”, the letter further read in part.
The letter added that among the beneficiaries, 15 students shall be of 300 Level of Mechanical Engineering department who will be recruited into “3+2” for Transportation Equipment and Control Engineering in the University to be awarded the Certificate of Bachelor degree in Transportation Equipment and Control Engineering at graduation, while ABU could award each of them the Certificate of Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Similarly, 30 students will be taken from Civil Engineering department out of which 15 will be recruited to study Traffic and Transportation Engineering and 15 will be moved into Civil Engineering School of the Central South University to be awarded double Bachelor degree issued by both ABU and CSU.
The statement noted that 30 candidates majoring in Mechanical Engineering and 60 candidates majoring in Civil Engineering shall be selected by ABU before the online interview in May, of which 45 students will be recruited in June this year.
In a related development, the Central South University assured authorities of ABU that the Chinese government in collaboration with the Central South University are working round the clock to protect all foreign students, majority of whom are ABU’s, against the COVID-19 pandemic which is rapidly spreading across the world currently, as a result of which many universities have cancelled classes or closed to protect the lives and health of their teachers and students.
This was contained in a seperate letter signed by the President of Central South University, Prof. Tian Hongqi, to the Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University. The letter said, “Bosom friends make distance disappear, and I believe that with the joint efforts of the international community, the COVID-19 pandemic will be contained and universities will open again.”
She added by saying, “I look forward to renewing exchanges with your university right after the end of the pandemic and jointly opening a new chapter for the international education cooperation.
Professor Hongqi however stressed that in the face of the viruses, the common enemy of mankind, the international community needs to work together to counter the epidemic. We should also encourage and support each other to demonstrate our profound friendship and mutual trust to assist each other in our joint response to the current challenge.