Thirty-one Pakistani students have obtained doctoral diplomas from Chinese universities under a cooperative educational program of China and Pakistan, sources with China's Ministry of Education said Wednesday.

 

The 31 Pakistani students were the first group of graduates from the joint program of the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and Pakistan Higher Educational Council (HEC).

 

The program was launched in 2003 with the Pakistani side offering government scholarship and the Chinese side providing coordinative services. Students under the program were selected by the HEC and sent to China for doctoral studies.

 

Up to now, a total of 205 Pakistani students have been admitted in the program. Currently, 162 of them are studying in prestigious Chinese universities in the cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Dalian, Shenzhen, Xi'an, Hangzhou and Changchun.

 

Extending her congratulations to the 31 Pakistani students, Chinese Vice Minister of Education Wu Qidi said the joint program was a successful example of higher education cooperation between China and Pakistan.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 19, 2007)