The National University of Samoa has signed two MoUs with China to aimed at strengthening educational and cultural cooperation between the two nations. Photo: Supplied / Government of Samoa
Samoa's primary higher education institution, the National University of Samoa (NUS), has signed two agreements with China to create academic opportunities for Samoan students.
Samoan Education Minister Aiono Alec Ekeroma said the signing of the agreements marked "a significant milestone" for the country's education sector.
In a statement, NUS said the two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese Embassy in Apia will offer Samoan students a Chinese Major Scholarship to pursue an Arts degree with a major in Chinese, and a Chinese Ambassador's Scholarship, which will enable students to receive a full scholarship to study at NUS.
The agreements were signed by Beijing's Ambassador Fei Mingxing and NUS vice-chancellor Professor Tuifuisa'a Patila Amosa. The signing was followed by an "Awarding Ceremony" for the first batch of 12 recipients of the scholarships.
According to NUS, the scholarship recipients also shared their reflections on participating in the "China Through My Lens" competition.
Ambassador Fei said the signing of the agreements, which coincided with the Lantern Festival, "marks a new chapter in people-to-people cultural exchange and educational cooperation between the two countries".
