KINGSTON, Jamaica – Eight University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) students were presented with academic scholarships valued at $1.6 million from the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica at a special presentation ceremony at the university’s Papine campus on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

The scholarship recipients who were each awarded $200,000 towards their tuition and related expenses for the 2023/2024 academic year are drawn from the Faculty of Engineering and Computing, the College of Health Sciences, the College of Business and Management and the College of Oral Health Sciences.

President of UTech, Dr Kevin Brown thanked Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Jamaica, Chen Daojiang, for the donation and expressed further appreciation to the ambassador for the increase in scholarship from five to eight students for the 2023-24 academic year, which were being awarded by the Chinese Embassy for the fifth year.

The president also thanked members of faculty and staff from the respective colleges and faculties who have aided the students in “honing their academic skills” and who have “guided them on their path to professional development.”

While congratulating the students on their commendable academic performance, participation in extracurricular activities and overall good standing with the university, Dr Brown shared with the students that, “I was the beneficiary of scholarships throughout my entire university career. My parents could not afford university so without scholarships, I would not be where I am today.”

He urged the students to continue to work hard in exemplifying the university’s motto, “Excellence through Knowledge,” and further encouraged the scholars to “continue to dedicate yourself to your studies in order to fully capitalise on the scholarship opportunity that has been given to you so that you may unlock your full potential as a scholar and as a budding professional and nation builder.”

Speaking on the long-standing friendship and cooperation that Jamaica shares with China, Dr Brown noted, “UTech, Jamaica shares in the mission with the Government of China to foster change and development through education that supports and facilitates cooperation and mobility between cultures.”

Daojiang prefacing his remarks with the colloquial greeting, “Wah gwaan?” much to the amusement of the gathering of scholarship recipients, deans and other officers of the university, thanked Dr Brown for the warm hospitality, sharing that on this first visit to the university, he was impressed with, “the beautiful and tidy campus, energetic students and strong learning atmosphere.”

Ambassador Daojiang went on to note that UTech, Jamaica “has cultivated a large number of outstanding talents for Jamaica and the region and made great contributions to Jamaica’s socio-economic development.”

He stated that this scholarship programme highlights the close cooperative relationship between the Republic of China to Jamaica and the University of Technology, Jamaica, and reflects on China’s strong support for Jamaica’s education.

“Youth is the hope and pillar of a nation. All the students here are our common future and hope,” noted Ambassador Daojiang, as he urged the students to seize opportunities and dedicate themselves to hard work in pursuing their dreams. “It’s your historical mission to lead the development and prosperity of Jamaica and to promote the long-lasting development of China-Jamaica relations,” the ambassador added.

Second year student of the Caribbean School of Nursing, Serina Malcolm, responding on behalf of fellow scholarship recipients expressed sincere appreciation to Ambassador Chen Daojiang, thanking him for his, “unwavering commitment to promoting education and investing in the future of young individuals like myself.”

Malcolm shared her own story of being raised in a single parent household with a father whose education stopped at the primary level, but noted that her father, a carpenter, persistently strives to ensure a better life through education for her and her younger brother.

The budding nurse practitioner ended her heart-warming words of appreciation by also thanking the UTech, faculty and staff for their support to students and charged her fellow scholarship recipients to continue on their path of academic excellence in “upholding the standards of this prestigious University.”