SOAS students and alumna awarded Yenching Academy scholarship
SOAS is a partner institute of the Yenching Academy of Peking University, a prestigious postgraduate college of Peking University that was established in 2014.
This partnership offers a very generous scholarship opportunity to SOAS students and recent SOAS graduates: a fully funded 2-year interdisciplinary Master's degree in China Studies, taught in English, at the top university in China.
The SOAS China Institute has been managing the first round of assessments of SOAS student applications for Yenching Academy since 2017. After a rigorous application process, we are delighted to announce that three SOAS students and one SOAS alumna - Melania El Khayat, Oliver Cutts, Josephina Georgopoulou and Alex Tani have been accepted onto Yenching Academy Master's degree program starting in September 2023. They will be among scholars from 31 countries and regions; 85 international students will come together with 31 Chinese students.
Michelle Hou, Yenching Academy Admissions Manager said “After another competitive application cycle, our Admissions Committee was greatly impressed by your students' achievements and personal qualities. We are excited for what your students will bring to our vibrant, international community and how they will forge their own unique academic and professional path at the Yenching Academy. We look forward to our continued relationship with SOAS and its promising future applicants”.
The Yenching Academy of Peking University was established with the goal of pushing academic study of China beyond the boundaries of traditionally defined Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines. The students will have the opportunity to focus on their research area, which will help them in their future chosen careers.
Josephina Georgopoulou (BA Chinese and Politics) says “As a recipient of the Yenching Academy scholarship, I have the privilege of being awarded an opportunity to continue developing my research skills, as I aim to pursue a career in policy analysis and development. Furthermore, I look forward to volunteering with local organisations in Beijing that work towards improving the community’s educational standards.”
"By studying the Law and Society concentration at Yenching Academy, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the connections between China's evolving moral landscape and modern business culture. My goal is to explore the intersection of ethics, governance, and entrepreneurship in China, and contribute to fostering responsible and sustainable business practices," says Melania El Kayat (BA International Relations and Chinese).
The students are excited about the opportunity to further their studies at Yenching Academy. Through coursework, independent research, and field studies, they will examine China’s past, present and future, with particular emphasis on China’s development and role in the world.
SOAS alumna, Alex Tani (MSc International Politics) says "I am extremely grateful to have been recommended by SOAS for the program. I am honoured to be able to represent SOAS at Peking University over the next two years. I look forward to starting the Economic and Management Masters programme at the Yenching Academy of Peking University.
With my previous studies having focused on China's relationship with Africa, I wish to develop my understanding of China's roles in international development and its wider relationship with the Global South. I also look to use this opportunity to further my understanding of domestic economic decision making and China's political economy.
Peking University is a great place for me to practice my Chinese. I look forward to gaining insights from the experience of fellow students from throughout the University and my Yenching Academy cohort.”
“I feel so honoured to have been chosen for such a prestigious programme. I thoroughly believe in Yenching’s mission to foster international cooperation towards peace and sustainability and cannot wait to be immersed in the rich academic environment that awaits. Personally, I hope to explore how the themes of feminism and socialism emerge and interact in contemporary Chinese literature, while also improving my Mandarin. Finally, I hope to one day contribute to a healthy and lasting relationship between China and the UK. Once again, I am so excited and proud to be a part of the Yenching Academy,” says Oliver Cutts (BA International Relations and Arabic).
The SOAS China Institute wishes Josephina, Melania, Alex and Oliver all the best in their studies at Yenching Academy and look forward to receiving applications from many SOAS students and alumni for the Yenching Academy 2024 intake when calls for applications open in the autumn term.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship at Yenching Academy, keep an eye out for when calls for applications open here.
