North Korea has ordered Pyongyang University of Science and Technology to send students who excel on China’s standardized Chinese proficiency test to study in China, Daily NK has learned.
A source in Pyongyang told Daily NK recently that the order “has excited students at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, as well as the school’s graduates.”
According to the source, the order was issued in mid-September following North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to China, with North Korean authorities highlighting the measure as one of the results of that visit.
North Korea announced that individuals who scored highest on the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) test would be prioritized for overseas study opportunities through December. Notably, it also significantly raised the age limit for selection from under 22 to under 30.
The change provides overseas study opportunities not only to current students at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology but also to young graduates working in research labs or office settings.
“The most important criterion is getting a top grade on the HSK. Based on that, doctoral students and even researchers and office workers are eligible for selection,” the source said.
“The fact that the state is covering all the costs for studying abroad has caused quite a sensation among young people,” he added.
Excitement tempered by practical concerns
Students and graduates of Pyongyang University of Science and Technology can’t hide their excitement at this expanded opportunity to study overseas, with buzz spreading through downtown Pyongyang and the research institutes and enterprises where graduates work.
However, some North Koreans are skeptical about whether studying abroad will be as straightforward as it seems.
“Young people understand that simply getting selected to study overseas won’t be easy,” the source said. “When your documents go to the central government, you can’t show up empty-handed. You need to pass stacks of dollars to the officials selecting students for study abroad, so young people without money to bribe them are worried.”
Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in North Korea said on Sept. 25 that Pyongyang University of Science and Technology expressed interest in cooperating with Chinese universities.
According to the Chinese embassy, the university’s vice-rector, Choi Ryong Ho, met with Chinese Ambassador Wang Yajun the previous day and said he hoped to “contribute to the development of North Korea-China ties by strengthening practical cooperation and human resource exchanges” with Chinese universities.
Wang said the embassy would “support Pyongyang University of Science and Technology with Chinese language education and cooperation with Chinese universities,” and that he looked forward to the university “playing a more active role in educational exchanges between China and North Korea and in cultivating talent.”
Located in Pyongyang’s Nakrang district, Pyongyang University of Science and Technology is North Korea’s first and only HSK test venue. The test was suspended for five years due to COVID-19 border closures but resumed in May.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: dailynk.com
