The first intake of Chinese Rhodes Scholars will be selected this year, to start their postgraduate study in 2016. Introducing these scholarships to China marks the first step of its expansion plan to other countries.

“They have to reflect the global footprint as it is today”

“There was a strong sense in the Rhodes Scholarships community that they have to reflect the global footprint as it is today,” said Babette Tegldal, communications manager at The Rhodes Trust, to The PIE News.

“With, for example, China being very much an emerging economy, there was a sense that if we wanted to have a global conversation, we needed that Chinese voice to be included.”

Chinese students are the second largest group of international students at Oxford University- 907 are currently studying there at undergraduate and postgraduate level, with the most international students being from the US.

The Rhodes Scholarships were established in 1903, and currently they are awarded to 83 individuals from 30 different countries every year. Each of the scholarships is worth £50,000 per annum and covers tuition fee costs, health insurance, accommodation and travel.

“We will also be adding other scholarships, so Russia, Brazil, additional African countries and others,” said Tegldal.

“There’s a lot of thought at the moment about expansion. China is the first step and there will be additional countries added in the future.”