Introduction
The Sino-British Friendship Scholarship Scheme (SBFSS) is currently the largest single scholarship scheme designed to bring Chinese scholars to the UK. In 1987-8, the first year of the scheme's operation, up to 420 scholars will be funded under this scheme. SBFSS was first proposed by Sir Yue Kong Pao, a prominent Hong Kong businessman and shipping magnate, to the governments of the UK and the People's Republic of China. The scheme was established in June 1986 at the signing of a Memorandum of Under- standing in London and will run for ten years starting in April 1987.
Purpose
The purpose of the scheme
is to enable Chinese scholars to study in the UK subjects that will help in the modern- ization and development of China.
The agreed priority subject
areas are:
Science, technology and engineering;
Social sciences, humanities and arts; Medicine.
In the first three years of the scheme 70 per cent of the awards will be in the field of science, technology and engineering, 25 per cent in social sciences and humanities and arts and
5 per cent in medicine.
Funds are available to bring up to 420 students a year to the UK. The scheme will bring more than 3,000 Chinese students to the UK.
Funding
The Sir Y K Pao Foundation will provide 40 per cent of the funds (£1.4 million a year), the government of the People's Republic of China providing an equal sum. The British government, through the Overseas Development Administration, will be con- tributing 20 per cent (£700,000 a year), plus the administrative costs incur- red by the British Council in running the scheme.
The estimated total sum available over the ten-year life of the scheme will be £35 million.