writes Philip Akrofi Atitianti.
Africa-Press – Ghana. Chinese scholarships have become an avenue for mutual gains between Ghana and China. Over the past two decades, China has emerged as a significant provider of higher education opportunities for Ghanaian students and has established itself as a major educational destination for Africans. The establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in the early 2000s has been instrumental in delivering these educational opportunities. It was at one such meeting in 2006 that President Hu Jintao announced the doubling of scholarships for African students. The Beijing Action Plan (2025–2027), developed at the 2024 FOCAC summit, demonstrates China’s sustained commitment to educational partnerships with African countries.
China offers these scholarships in various forms: the China Scholarship Council (CSC) scholarships, provincial and municipal government scholarships, and university scholarships, among others. As a result, thousands of Ghanaians and other Africans have gained access to new study pathways, while China benefits from its growing influence in Ghana and across the African continent. This partnership has evolved into a notable win-win engagement, bolstering Ghana’s human capital while expanding China’s soft power and diplomatic reach.
Scholarships as a lifeline
Critics may ask, “What’s the catch?” and raise concerns about potential brain drain. These questions are warranted, but arguments can also be made for the benefits that such scholarships facilitate.
While acknowledging the macro-level impacts on a country of their talented minds going abroad, it is essential to embrace the opportunities being presented to the individual. In Ghana, there is a dearth of opportunities for those seeking to pursue tertiary education, especially those without sufficient financial support. The Ghana Scholarship Secretariat claims its mission is to “utilize Government Funds, GETFund and donor support for the provision of scholarships to brilliant but needy students and qualified workers.” However, the agency has been beleaguered by scandals where scholarships have been awarded to undeserving recipients. This begs the question: how many of these students would be able to further their education if they stayed in Ghana?
Chinese scholarships have become a lifeline for students seeking to further their education but lacking the required financial support. One of the reasons for the rising popularity of China’s scholarships is that, despite their competitiveness, most do not require applicants to take standardised tests such as GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, or IELTS. Although English is the official language of the country and the medium of instruction at all levels of education, Ghanaians are required to take standardised tests to prove their English proficiency when applying for some scholarships. The fees for these tests are an additional financial burden that many can’t bear.
Mutual gains from Chinese scholarships
For individuals awarded Chinese scholarships, it presents an opportunity to further their studies and acquire essential skills that can improve their livelihood and, more broadly, develop Ghana’s overall human capital. The skill acquisition of these students while in China is not in doubt. Many Ghanaian students, especially those pursuing PhDs, can publish in top-tier academic journals, boosting their credentials and that of their universities.
The skills that Chinese universities have instilled in Ghanaian students who have pursued higher education in China have been beneficial to Ghana. Though some students do not return immediately upon graduation, a considerable number who return are contributing to the nation’s progress through various means. A recent study found that returnees from China are significantly engaged in international knowledge transfer, disseminating the knowledge they acquired in China across the local economy.
China’s investment in scholarships over the years has proved worthwhile. The country’s soft power in Ghana has grown considerably through its educational partnerships. Students who enrol in Chinese universities are exposed to Chinese culture and return home with a deeper understanding of China, thereby extending the reach of Chinese culture. The Afrobarometer round eight survey captured evidence of this growing influence in Ghana; Ghanaians identified Chinese as one of the top four most important languages for the next generation to learn (although English remained the most important).
In return, scholarship recipients have made immense contributions to research in Chinese universities and institutes, culminating in China becoming a global giant in high-quality research. In 2018, China was the largest contributor (21 per cent) to the Scopus database of global science and engineering publications. The country also became the highest contributor to research in the Nature Index group of high-quality natural-science journals in 2022. China maintained its topmost position in the 2025 Research Leaders list released by Nature Index. China’s rise in global research recognition coincides with the period of its massive rollout of scholarship programs that fund local talent abroad and attract foreign talent from around the world, alongside other R&D efforts the country has carried out.
A recent study found that Chinese government scholarships have been instrumental in enhancing China’s research capabilities. Scholarship recipients, including Ghanaians, have contributed to the nation’s ascent to the top of the research tree. Frederick Nii Ofei Bruce, Jeffrey Dankwa Ampah, and Nana Adwoa Anokye Effah are among the many Ghanaians who have been recognised in China for their research excellence.
The way forward
Going forward, to move from growth to sustained impact, Ghanaian and Chinese stakeholders can deepen cooperation on targeted scholarships in areas crucial for Ghana’s development. Partnerships that give professionals at Ghanaian institutes access to databases, lab equipment, and other resources that China has amassed will ensure these professionals are able to overcome the resource limitations of local institutes in conducting their professional work.
Policies that encourage the return of talent will be vital and promote a trend of brain circulation rather than brain drain in Ghana. China, for instance, uses its Thousand Talents Program and other talent-recruitment initiatives to entice Chinese professionals abroad to return home. These professionals are presented with hard-to-resist offers should they decide to return, and these programs have been beneficial. A study revealed that Chinese scientists who returned home through China’s Young Thousand Talents program outperform their counterparts who remain overseas in publishing productivity and are also more likely to become independent researchers pursuing their own scientific agendas. Ghana should adopt a similar model to entice Ghanaian talent to return home and contribute to the country’s growth and development. This will be quite instrumental since non-returnees often cite a lack of opportunities as one of the main reasons they are reluctant to return to Ghana.
Finally, international scholarships should be among the alternatives for furthering education, not the primary path. Accordingly, the government of Ghana must continue its efforts to make higher education more accessible by progressively reducing the financial requirements for enrolment in local institutions. The government must also ensure that the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat awards scholarships to deserving applicants. To expand local scholarship opportunities, the government can lobby corporate entities to consider various scholarship modalities as part of their corporate social responsibility.
China’s scholarships have opened many doors for Ghanaian students: language skills, funded study, and easier entry into STEM and technical fields. These scholarships have further strengthened Ghana-China relations and stimulated mutually beneficial outcomes: Ghana gains human capital and capacity, China builds cultural familiarity, and educational influence and recognition. They have benefited both Ghana and China, and they are here to stay.
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