On the 10th of November 2014, the Tower Bridge hosted a very important event: the London launch of the Schwarzman Scholars Programme. Andreas Mathikolonis, ESN UK President, and Madalina Cretu, ESN UK Publications Specialist, represented ESN UK on this important occasion.
The Schwarzman Scholars Programme is a great opportunity for those interested in a study abroad experience in China. It consists of a fully funded one-year Master’s Degree in one of the three disciplines covered by the programme: Public Policy, Economics and Business or International Relations. The entire experience will take place at the Schwarzman College in Beijing, with Schwarzman Scholars being matriculated at Tsinghua University.
Throughout the programme, students will be encouraged to take full advantaged of the multi-cultural and enriching educational environment they will be studying in, as well as of the Chinese culture happening around them. Schwarzman Scholars encourages students to travel extensively and experience China through all of its three dimensions: its traditional past, its buoyant present and its promising future.
Each of the 200 students included in the first cohort will be given a mentor, who will ensure that the career path chosen by them is stimulating their skills and challenging their goals. Internship opportunities will also be made available to the Schwarzman Scholars, encouraging them to gain practical experience which will require making use of the knowledge acquired in class in order to prove their potential as future leaders.
The application process is opened to everyone between 18 and 28 years old who has obtained or will successfully obtain an undergraduate degree before July 2016. The application process will be open between April and October 2015 with finalists’ interviews taking place around mid-November 2015. The lucky 200 students selected to be part of the first cohort will be notified about their success before December 2015 and are expected to begin their Beijing one-year experience in summer 2016.
It is important to understand that the 200 students recruited for theprogramme will come from all over the word. With 45% USA students, 20% China students and the remaining 35% coming from the rest of the world, the study environment at the Schwarzman College is bound to be as internationally-aware and open-minded as possible. Students will not only benefit from the globally oriented classes they will attend, but also from the multiple interactions and friendships they will build with their international peers.
More information about the candidates’ eligibility to apply for this scheme can be found here.
“Those who will lead the future must understand China today.” – Stephen A. Schwarzman, founder of the Schwarzman Scholars programme
The Schwarzman Scholarship programme aims to get students immerged into the Chinese economic and business context in the hope of helping them to acquire and develop the skills and knowledge for them to become the leaders that the future society needs. Students enrolled on the programme will meet business leaders, artists and public officials that will enlarge their network by extending it to an international level.
The launch event was a very good opportunity for ESN UK to discuss about its importance as a student-led organisation in the service of students. ESN UK believes this programme to be a very good opportunity for graduates from everywhere to expand their horizons and dare for more. The present world is evolving at a very rapid pace and being able to work and live in a global context is what will make the leaders of the future succeed. Best of luck to everyone who is thinking of applying and may the odds be ever in your favour!
Written by Madalina Cretu – ESN UK Publications Specialist and Erasmus+ student at the University of Southampton
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