Lessons from China’s Development Experience

Aniska Theresa Pennerman, a lawyer in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, first learned about the "International Masters in Business Administration (IMBA) for Developing Countries" program at China's Beijing Normal University, seeing it on the Bahamas' Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. "It was fabulous! It's just what I wanted!" Pennerman excitedly told China Today's reporter. She sees her one-year study to obtain a master's degree in China as a valuable life experience.

China's training programs to assist other developing countries have today become an important way the world has come to know more about China, while also letting the country move closer to the world, and building up a significant platform for deepening international exchanges and cooperation.

IMBA students carry out field research in Shangluo City, Shaanxi Province.

Studying in China

The Bahamas is located in the Atlantic's Caribbean Sea, adjacent to the United States, and not far from Europe. Familiar with both European and American culture, Pennerman had long dreamed of China as a place with a completely different culture.

She recounted: "Whenever you turn on a TV or read a newspaper, or surf the Internet, China is now so frequently mentioned. Therefore, I wanted a chance to see a developing China and witness history for myself."

In September last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping, while participating in the UN Sustainable Development Summit and South-South Cooperation Roundtable Meetings, announced that over the next five years China will provide "Six One-Hundred Programs" for developing countries, respectively in the fields of poverty alleviation, agriculture cooperation, trade promotion, ecological protection, climate change adaptation, and construction of hospitals/clinics and schools/vocational training centers. What's more, the Chinese government will offer training to120,000 overseas students in China, and scholarships to 150,000 foreign students, with the expectation of training 500,000 technical professionals for other developing countries.

The International Master's in Business Administration (IMBA) program, which Pennerman successfully joined, is a one-year English-language program offered by the Emerging Markets Institute (EMI) of Beijing Normal University (BNU), and is sponsored by China's Ministry of Education and Ministry of Commerce.

Laura Avondet is a diplomat from Argentina. Before coming to China she worked at Argentina's embassy in Dublin. She got this educational opportunity after her country for the first time joined the program this year. Avondet says her favorite areas are studying China's economic development and scientific innovation. Thanks to the program, she will be able to conduct in-depth discussions and exchange ideas with students from different regions and from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Benon Olaniran Alexis is from Benin in West Africa. Speaking fluent English, he expressed curiosity about the economic growth brought about by China's reform and opening-up policies. He also admires the Chinese people, as industrious, intrepid, punctual and patriotic.

Besides studying, Pennerman makes full use of her time to learn more about Chinese culture. "Beijing is China's capital city with abundant cultural heritages and grand international events. I enjoyed visiting the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. I also saw the world's top tennis players at the China Open Championship in October 2015, and enjoyed some ballet peformances, both the Chinese Red Detachment of Women and such classics as Swan Lake." In Theresa's eyes, Beijing is a cosmopolitan city where both tradition and modernity perfectly converge, blending Chinese culture and international elements. She says, "China's openness and inclusiveness toward diverse cultures, as well as the hospitality of Chinese people are great treasures!"

Very studious, she finds there are always so many new things to learn during the year. She is now making a great effort to learn Chinese language and to try all the Chinese delicacies. She's even learned to use traditional Chinese proverbs.

"There's an old saying in China, 'Crossing the river by touching the stones.' The basic underlying principle of this line is to always dare to experiment, for even if some experiments fail – nothing ventured, nothing gained!" Theresa said evocatively, her bright eyes sparkling.

Fabulous Curriculum Design

"Before coming to China I expected the IMBA courses to only include some knowledge in finance and economics. However, it has turned out to be so much more. One of the most beneficial aspects of the program is the focus on several different emerging markets, mainly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It has greatly expanded my knowledge about these areas of the world, as well as of the initiatives some countries have undertaken during the course of their development. Overall, the most beneficial aspects of the curriculum are found in the several courses that focus on China's economic and social development including its history." Pennerman said that the Bahamas is presently working on its first national development plan. "Thus, these courses, as well as my own observations of China's development strategies and the Five-Year Plan, will provide me with very timely information that I can utilize at home."

Hu Biliang, dean of the Emerging Markets Institute of the BNU, and also the director of the IMBA program, told the reporter that this is in fact the second year of the program.

Hu Biliang, dean of the BNU Emerging Markets Institute, gives a lecture to his class.

"Starting in the year 2014, we started to recruit students from emerging market countries across the world. In the first year, we had 28 government officials and medium- and senior-level economic managers from altogether 14 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These students came from various ministries and agencies in their governments, such as finance, immigration, central banks, trade and industry, investment and economic planning, energy, information, education, police stations, customs, as well as from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. They had distinctive observations on multiple issues such as China's characteristic developmental experiences, the pursuit of new market and investment opportunities, the rapid development of southeastern Chinese cities and social stratification, harmonious society and grassroots democracy."

Hu Biliang further declares: "In 2015, we continued to expand the scope and scale of our enrollment. Today, 37 students from 21 developing countries are studying at Beijing Normal University, with newcomers from India, Pakistan, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. In the future, more and more developing countries will learn about the program and participate in it, which we hope will also result in a complete affirmation of our efforts."

Talking about the significance of the program, Hu Biliang notes, "It is a national strategy to help developing countries learn more about China's development mode and experience, in order to discover their own suitable paths of development. In addition, the program also aims to cultivate future leaders for these developing countries that have better understanding of China and are friendly to the country."

The BNU has selected a group of professors with rich teaching and research experience to provide high-quality instruction. They have studied and taught at such world-class institutions as Harvard University, University of Chicago, University of Cambridge, Australian National University, University of Cologne (Germany), and Tilburg University (the Netherlands). In addition, some teachers have worked with international organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The one-year program is taught in English, and every student is required to complete a final paper and pass the examinations.

At present, nine of China's top universities participate in the training programs especially designed for other developing countries. For example, Peking University and Tsinghua University are responsible for the Master's Program in Public Administration (MPA), East China Normal University for the Master's Program in Pedagogy; while other participating universities include the University of International Business and Economics, Foreign Affairs University, Communications University of China, and Jilin University, among others.

Li Xiaobing, president of the Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO) of the Ministry of Commerce, commented: "China is the world's largest developing country. It is a fundamental standpoint in China's foreign policies to develop and consolidate solidarity and cooperation with the vast numbers of developing nations. In recent years, the Chinese government has strengthened collaboration and exchanges with the outside world in such areas as human resources, while innovating various cooperation modes including education for academic degrees and short-term training. Among these, academic degree programs to cultivate high-level professionals for developing countries have received high praise from these nations' governments and participating students."

Bilateral Cooperation Opportunities

This special learning experience has indeed helped Pennerman devise a clearer plan for her future career development.

"After graduation I intend to pursue a PhD in International Trade. And then I'd like to work in the Bahamas's trade sector for several years. Ultimately, when the Bahamas becomes a member of WTO (it is presently in accession negotiations for membership), I intend to work for the WTO, preferably in the Disputes Settlement Department."

Pennerman is optimistic about potential cooperation between China and her motherland. She says that Bahamas' number one industry is tourism. China is now entering into a new era of mass tourism. The Caribbean region will definitely provide Chinese tourists with totally different scenery and experiences. It is a perfect opportunity for China's high-end hotels to establish dazzling buildings and run resorts in the Bahamas. The Bahamas would also benefit from increased employment for its citizens who can work in the hotel industry. It is definitely a win-win choice.

Aditya Kumar Ranjan, a graduate of India's Sikkim University, holds a bachelor's degree in Chinese language and literature. He has a deep understanding of China's economic development, society and culture, and is preparing long-term plans for his future career.

IMBA students take a photo in front of the Terracotta Warriors.

Conducting research in Shangluo City in Shaanxi Province, he told our reporter that China's infrastructure is ahead of India's, providing convenient facilities for economic development. He also pointed out that many people make comparisons between China and India, claiming Chinese society is now suffering from an aging population, while India enjoys the potential of larger and more youthful labor supply. However, from his perspective, Chinese females have ready access to employment opportunities, bringing the other 50 percent of the population into the economy. India must learn from China, to offer more equal opportunities for girls and women. After graduation from the IMBA program, he planned to start an e-business to try to contribute to underdeveloped societies which have tremendous potential but lack a platform.

Kasun Thisara Abeysinghe is an engineer from Sri Lanka. He says that in 2014 Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Sri Lanka and expressed China's wish to conduct more cooperation in the areas of port construction and operation, the building of port-neighboring industrial parks, maritime economy and maritime security. With the opportunities in the building of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, China will encourage more enterprises to actively participate in the construction of industrial parks, special economic zones and infrastructures in Sri Lanka. Studying in China has only made him more confident about future cooperation between the two countries.